recitation
recitation — noun
1. An oral performance in which a person repeats a poem, speech, or other written t
An oral performance in which a person repeats a poem, speech, or other written text from memory, typically in front of an audience.
For the school competition, Vikram gave a moving recitation of a poem by Emily Dickinson.
recitation + of + [text] for a performance context
The teacher asked each student to prepare a short recitation for class next Monday.
collocation: prepare a recitation / give a recitation
At the drama festival, Harper's recitation of the soliloquy earned loud applause from the audience.
Zayd practised his recitation until he could say the speech without looking at the page.
At assembly, the first-year students gave a group recitation of a traditional folk poem.
- performance
Broader term — includes acting, singing, and instrument playing, not just spoken word from memory.
- reading
Unlike recitation, a reading usually involves looking at the text rather than speaking from memory.
- improvisation
Spontaneous speech created on the spot, as opposed to reproducing a memorised text.
文法句型
recitation + of + noun phrase
用法筆記
The key feature of a recitation in this sense is that the text is delivered from memory, not read from a page or screen. A 'reading' may involve looking at the text, but a 'recitation' does not.
常見錯誤
2. A detailed spoken or written account that lists a series of events, facts, or it
A detailed spoken or written account that lists a series of events, facts, or items one after another, often in a lengthy or tiresome way.
The witness offered a long recitation of everything she had seen that morning.
long recitation + of + [what was seen]
During the meeting, the manager gave a dry recitation of the monthly sales figures.
dry recitation — implies the listing was boring
The article began with a recitation of the many problems facing the city's transport system.
Kenji's recitation of why the plan would fail convinced the rest of the team.
Dewi listened patiently to her grandmother's long recitation of the family history.
- enumeration
More technical and neutral in tone; lacks the mildly negative overtone that recitation can carry.
- listing
Less formal; can refer to a simple written or spoken series without the idea of lengthiness.
- catalogue
Suggests a more organised or systematic arrangement of items.
文法句型
recitation + of + noun phrase
用法筆記
This sense often carries a mildly negative or weary tone — it suggests the speaker is listing things methodically, sometimes at tedious length. It is most common in formal writing and journalism.
常見錯誤
3. A teaching session in an educational course, typically held after a lecture, whe
A teaching session in an educational course, typically held after a lecture, where students discuss material, solve problems, or practise what they have learned in a smaller group.
Professor Okafor holds a recitation session every Thursday to discuss the week's lectures.
recitation session — noun-noun compound
The chemistry recitation meets in room 302 right after the main lecture ends.
Lisa found the recitation more helpful than the lecture because she could ask questions directly.
Attendance at the Friday recitation is required for all students taking the physics course.
During recitation the teaching assistant went over the homework problems with small groups.
- tutorial
Common in British English; typically involves one-on-one or very small group teaching with a tutor.
- seminar
A discussion-based class, often longer and more independent than a recitation.
- discussion section
The full phrase used in many US universities; 'recitation' is a shorter, synonymous label.
- lecture
A large, one-way delivery of content by a professor, as opposed to the interactive small-group format of a recitation.
文法句型
recitation + in + subject
recitation + session
用法筆記
This sense is primarily used in US higher education, where large lecture courses are accompanied by smaller weekly recitation groups led by a teaching assistant. In the UK and other Commonwealth countries, the equivalent is often called a 'tutorial' or 'seminar'.