exam

noun

1 formal test ⇨ See also ↑examination

ADJECTIVE

▪ difficult

▪ easy

▪ entrance, placement (AmE) (placement test in BrE)

▪ exit (AmE), final, graduation (AmE)

▪

the California high-school exit exam

▪ end-of-semester (esp. AmE), end-of-term (esp. BrE), end-of-year

▪ semester (AmE)

▪ midterm (esp. AmE)

▪ college (AmE), school

▪

Girls are doing better than boys in every school exam. (BrE)

▪

I just finished my last law school exam. (AmE)

▪ professional

▪ external (esp. BrE)

▪ A level, GCSE (in the UK)

▪ SAT (in the US)

▪ certification, licensing, qualifying (all AmE)

▪

students who passed the national teacher certification exam

▪ bar (AmE)

▪

the New York state bar exam

▪ chemistry, French, geography, etc.

▪ comprehensive (AmE)

▪

a Master's program's comprehensive exam

▪ mock (BrE)

▪

I did badly in the mock exam but passed the real thing.

▪ multiple-choice, oral, practical, written

VERB + EXAM

▪ cram for (esp. AmE), prepare for, review for (AmE), revise for (BrE), study for

▪

I can't go out because I'm revising for end of year exams.

▪ do (BrE), sit (BrE, formal), sit for (AmE, formal), take

▪

When do you sit your final exams?

▪ resit (BrE), retake

▪ pass

▪

In spite of her worries, she passed the exam.

▪ fail, flunk (informal, esp. AmE)

▪ ace (AmE, informal), do well in (BrE), do well on (AmE)

▪

I want to do well in my exams.

▪ do badly in (BrE), do badly on (AmE)

▪ cheat in (BrE), cheat on (AmE)

▪

Candidates found cheating in/on any exam will be disqualified.

▪ set

▪

The final exam is set by an external board.

▪ administer, invigilate (esp. BrE), proctor (AmE)

▪ grade (AmE), mark (BrE)

EXAM + VERB

▪ begin, start

▪ be coming up

▪

The midterm exams are coming up.

▪ be over, end (esp. AmE), finish (esp. BrE)

▪

As soon as the exams are over I'm off to Mexico.

EXAM + NOUN

▪ practice, preparation, revision (BrE)

▪ paper, question

▪ grade, marks (BrE), results (esp. BrE), score (esp. AmE)

▪ pass (esp. BrE)

▪ technique (BrE)

▪ nerves (BrE)

▪

Most students suffer from exam nerves to some extent.

▪ period, time, week (esp. AmE)

▪

There is a subdued atmosphere in the school at exam time.

▪ board (BrE)

▪

The regional exam boards try to ensure equal standards.

▪ room

PREPOSITION

▪ in an/the exam (BrE)

▪

He did badly in his history exam.

▪ on an/the exam (AmE)

▪

We had to study to do well on the exam.

▪ exam for

▪

an exam for nurses

▪ exam in

▪

an exam in chemistry

▪ exam on

▪

We had an English exam on this play.

2 (AmE) medical test

ADJECTIVE

▪ thorough

▪

She performed a thorough exam and didn't find anything unusual.

▪ routine

▪ follow-up

▪

The follow-up exams showed the baby was healthy.

▪ physical

▪ gynecological, neurological, etc.

▪ abdominal, pelvic, rectal, etc. (all medical)

▪ breast, chest, eye, etc.

▪

You should have a clinical breast exam every year.

▪ ultrasound, X-ray, etc.

VERB + EXAM

▪ do, perform

▪ have

▪

I had an eye exam.

EXAM + VERB

▪ reveal sth, show sth

▪

A cardiac exam revealed a regular rate and rhythm.

EXAM + NOUN

▪ room, table

PREPOSITION

▪ exam of

▪

an ultrasound exam of the baby

▪ exam on

▪

The doctor will then perform a physical exam on the child.