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Lesson guide & glossary

Study & Education — C2 Collocations

This lesson practises 30 C2 collocations on Study & Education. Collocations are fixed word pairings that native speakers expect — Cambridge examiners test them in Use of English Part 1 and reward precise lexis in Writing. Run through the interactive drills first, then open this glossary to revise every item in the set. For question-by-question feedback, use Review mode after you finish the session.

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Lesson glossary (30 collocations)

  • first-hand knowledge

    The historian has first-hand knowledge of the archive's early records.

  • impart knowledge

    Good teachers know how to impart knowledge without overwhelming learners.

  • glimmer of understanding

    The example gave the class a glimmer of understanding of the theory.

  • advanced knowledge

    The module assumes advanced knowledge of statistics.

  • marked improvement

    Her latest draft shows marked improvement in structure.

  • mature student

    As a mature student, he brought valuable work experience to the seminar.

  • distinguished scholar

    The lecture was delivered by a distinguished scholar of medieval history.

  • meet the entry requirements

    Applicants must meet the entry requirements before enrolling.

  • adhere to principles

    Researchers must adhere to principles of academic integrity.

  • proven ability

    The programme requires proven ability in written analysis.

  • comprehensive knowledge

    The examiner expects comprehensive knowledge of the core texts.

  • seat of learning

    The old college remains a respected seat of learning.

  • shape their destiny

    Education can help young people shape their destiny.

  • have the backbone to do something

    The student had the backbone to challenge the unfair decision.

  • straight-A student

    She was a straight-A student throughout secondary school.

  • newly qualified

    The newly qualified teacher received mentoring in her first term.

  • graduate from university

    She plans to graduate from university next summer.

  • read a subject at university

    He chose to read a subject at university that combined history and politics.

  • basic principle

    Fair citation is a basic principle of scholarly work.

  • steep learning curve

    The software has a steep learning curve for first-time users.

  • deny all knowledge

    The student chose to deny all knowledge of the copied paragraph.

  • show initiative

    Students who show initiative often find extra research opportunities.

  • encyclopaedic knowledge

    Her encyclopaedic knowledge of literature impressed the panel.

  • demonstrate an ability

    The assessment asks students to demonstrate an ability to evaluate evidence.

  • dim and distant memory

    Primary school is now only a dim and distant memory for him.

  • hazy memory

    His first lesson is only a hazy memory now.

  • undertake postgraduate study

    After graduation, he hopes to undertake postgraduate study abroad.

  • extensive knowledge

    The tutor has extensive knowledge of second-language acquisition.

  • concentration wavers

    During a long lecture, concentration often wavers without a short break.

  • demonstrate scholarly rigour

    The essay must demonstrate scholarly rigour throughout.