academic
academic — adjective
1. to do with the work that takes place at universities, colleges, or schools — for
to do with the work that takes place at universities, colleges, or schools — for example, lectures, research, exams, and the reading and thinking that go with them, rather than hands-on training.
Tomás finished the academic year with the highest grade in his chemistry class.
academic + year (calendar collocation)
The university publishes its academic journal four times a year.
academic + journal (publication collocation)
Jamal chose a college with strong academic standards in engineering.
Sleeping well before exams really helps your academic performance.
The school sends parents a written report on each child's academic progress every term.
- scholastic
more formal; common in official school contexts
- educational
broader — covers any learning activity, not just formal study
- scholarly
stresses careful research more than the institutional setting
- vocational
focused on job skills rather than book learning
- practical
to do with doing rather than studying
文法句型
academic + noun
用法筆記
Almost always sits directly before a noun (academic year, academic staff, academic record). Rarely used after a linking verb like 'be'.
常見錯誤
2. describing a person who is bright and finds reading, studying, and thinking thro
describing a person who is bright and finds reading, studying, and thinking through ideas genuinely enjoyable.
Yusuf was always the academic one in the family, with his nose in a book.
the + academic + one (singling out a person)
Omar is more academic than his brother, who prefers fixing motorbikes.
comparative: more academic than
My grandmother was a quiet, academic woman who spent every weekend in the library.
I'm just not very academic — I learn better by building things with my hands.
- studious
stresses the habit of studying hard rather than natural cleverness
- bookish
informal; can hint at being out of touch with everyday life
- intellectual
stresses serious thinking about ideas, not just school work
- practical
preferring hands-on tasks to study
文法句型
be + academic
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: this sense describes a PERSON's nature, while sense 1 describes activities or institutions. Often appears with 'very', 'not', or in comparisons.
常見錯誤
3. describing a question, debate, or point that lives only in theory and makes no r
describing a question, debate, or point that lives only in theory and makes no real difference to what actually happens — for example, arguing about which exit to take when the road is already closed.
Whether we should have left earlier is now purely academic — the train has gone.
purely academic (intensifier collocation)
The mayor said the debate over the new park is academic until the city finds funding.
be + academic (after linking verb)
Once the verdict came in, all our worries about the trial became academic.
The question of who started the fight is largely academic now that both boys have apologized.
- theoretical
neutral; simply 'in theory rather than in practice'
- hypothetical
stresses that the situation is imagined, not real
- moot
American legal flavour; the issue no longer matters because it has been settled or overtaken
文法句型
be + academic
用法筆記
Frequently appears after 'be' or 'become', and is often strengthened by 'purely', 'largely', or 'merely'. Subject is usually an abstract noun like 'question', 'debate', 'distinction', or 'point'.
常見錯誤
academic — noun
1. a person whose job is to teach at a university or to do research as part of that
a person whose job is to teach at a university or to do research as part of that job — for example, a professor, a lecturer, or a senior researcher.
Dr. Amara is a respected academic at Kyoto University and has written six books on climate science.
a + respected + academic + at [institution]
A group of academics signed an open letter to the government about school funding.
plural: a group of academics
My uncle left a high-paying job in finance to become an academic in Boston.
Several leading academics will speak at the conference next Friday.
- scholar
stresses deep learning rather than the job role
- professor
a specific senior rank, not all academics
- researcher
focuses on the research side; may not include any teaching
文法句型
a/an + academic
academics + plural verb
用法筆記
Refers to the person, while sense 2 (always plural 'academics') refers to school subjects. Tell them apart by countability and modifiers — 'a respected academic' is a person; 'her academics' means her school subjects.
常見錯誤
2. the classroom subjects — for example maths, science, and history — that a studen
the classroom subjects — for example maths, science, and history — that a student takes at secondary school or university, especially when contrasted with sports or other activities.
Coach Reyes told the team that academics come before football practice.
academics come before [activity]
Jenna's parents were proud of her academics but worried she had no friends.
possessive + academics
The new principal wants to raise academics across every grade in the school.
At this college, you must keep your academics strong to stay on the basketball team.
- studies
broader; covers any course of learning, not just school subjects
- schoolwork
stresses the assignments and tasks, not the subjects themselves
- coursework
the work done for a particular course
- athletics
the sports side of school life
- extracurriculars
activities outside the regular subjects
文法句型
possessive + academics
用法筆記
Always plural with this meaning, and mainly American. Often paired with sports or extracurricular activities to contrast schoolwork with everything else.