Unit 14 School

Unit 14 School

Sign up (for) to register (for), to enroll (in)

             GRAMMAR/USAGE NOTES: People who cannot sign up for themselves become the object of the verb. In this case the idiom is separable. The idiom is often used for sports activites.

             ▪ The Smith’s seventeen-year-old son signed up for classes at the public university.

             ▪ Laura signed her son up for a gymnastics class at the recreation center.

             ▪ If you want to get on the volleyball team, it’s not too late to sign up.

Hit the books to study, sometimes after much delay

             ▪ Students have no choice but to hit the books before taking their final exams.

Brush up on to review

             Also: bone up on

             USAGE NOTE: Bone up on is more informal than brush up on.

             ▪ As you learn new vocabulary, it’s good to brush up on it regularly.

             ▪ The medical student had to bone up on the respiratory system before her oral exams.

Pop quiz a short, unannounced test

             ▪ There may be a couple of pop quizes this semester in addition to the regular exams.

             ▪ All the students became worried when the teacher announced a pop quiz.

Hand in to submit

             Also: turn in

             GRAMMAR NOTE: Both idioms are separable.

             ▪ Please hand in your homework before you leave the classroom.

             ▪ The professor turned his course grades in to the admissions and records office.

Hand out to distribute

             Also: pass out

             Related form: handout (noun)

             GRAMMAR NOTE: The two verb forms are separable.

             ▪ On the first day of classes, the professor handed out the course syllabus.

             ▪ Politicians and salespersons are allowed on campus to pass flyers out.

             ▪ I’ve been given so many handouts this semester that there’s no room in my notebook!

Teacher’s pet someone who seems to be the teacher’s favorite student

             ▪ I think that Jonathan got an A because he’s the teacher’s pet.

             ▪ The teacher’s pet is usually a student who gets special treatment and privileges.

Cut class(es) to not attend class(es)

             Also: play hooky, ditch school

             GRAMMAR/USAGE NOTES: Class can be either singular or plural. The alternate forms are used when missing school is against the rules.

             ▪ Aaron and Yousef cut classes on Friday in order to have a three-day weekend.

             ▪ The troublesome teenagers played hooky for two days, but when they tired to ditch school for a third day, they were caught and punished.

Drop out (of) to stop attending regularly

             Also: flunk out (of)

             Related form: dropout (noun)

             USAGE NOTE: Flunk out is used when the reason for dropping out is failing grades.

             ▪ Michael had to drop out of school in order to work full-time.

             ▪ When Judy flunked out of high school with bad grades, she became another dropout.