TOEFL Vocabulary: Classroom work 40 easy-tier words, each with a short plain-English definition, followed by a quick quiz to check what stuck.
Test Ninjas Research · Updated October 1, 2026
Courses, assignments, grades and the verbs teachers use for tasks: explain, describe, summarize, compare, discuss. Recognizing them quickly matters in conversations between students and professors, and the verbs double as instructions you will hear and use.
Most useful for: Complete the Words · Listen and Choose a Response · Listen to a Conversation · Academic Discussion .
Classroom work is one of the easy themes in our
TOEFL vocabulary list , where you can also find how the tiers work.
The 40 words Classroom work — Easy tier # Word Meaning Tier 1 course a planned series of lessons Easy 2 class a group meeting to learn Easy 3 lesson one period or unit of teaching Easy 4 lecture a talk that teaches a subject Easy 5 seminar a small class based on discussion Easy 6 workshop a session for guided practice Easy 7 assignment a task given to a student Easy 8 homework schoolwork completed outside class Easy 9 project a planned piece of work with a goal Easy 10 exercise a task used for practice Easy 11 quiz a short test Easy 12 exam a formal assessment of learning Easy 13 grade a mark that evaluates work Easy 14 score a number showing performance Easy 15 credit recognition toward completing a program Easy 16 major a student's main field of study Easy 17 subject an area that is studied Easy 18 topic the matter being discussed Easy 19 chapter a numbered section of a book Easy 20 page one side of a sheet in a book Easy 21 paragraph a group of sentences about one idea Easy 22 sentence a group of words expressing a thought Easy 23 question words asking for information Easy 24 answer information given in reply Easy 25 example a case used to explain an idea Easy 26 detail a small but meaningful fact Easy 27 idea a thought or plan Easy 28 point one part of an argument or explanation Easy 29 main most important Easy 30 basic simple and necessary as a starting point Easy 31 review to examine again for understanding Easy 32 practice to repeat an activity to improve Easy 33 study to work at learning a subject Easy 34 learn to gain knowledge or skill Easy 35 teach to help someone learn Easy 36 explain to make an idea clear Easy 37 describe to tell what something is like Easy 38 summarize to state the main points briefly Easy 39 compare to examine similarities and differences Easy 40 discuss to exchange ideas about a subject Easy
Self-check: match the meaning Cover the table above. Here are 8 of the 40 classroom work words, starting with course : choose the word each definition describes.
a planned series of lessons course score point teach Show answer A. course
a session for guided practice chapter workshop study discuss Show answer B. workshop
a short test answer summarize quiz seminar Show answer C. quiz
a student's main field of study main lesson exercise major Show answer D. major
a group of sentences about one idea paragraph learn homework credit Show answer A. paragraph
a small but meaningful fact compare detail grade page Show answer B. detail
to examine again for understanding lecture topic review example Show answer C. review
to make an idea clear project question basic explain Show answer D. explain
Using classroom work words on the test In Listen to a Conversation, listen for lecture and quiz as signals of what each speaker needs or decides. In Listen and Choose a Response you hear each line once, so say topic and example aloud until you recognize them at speaking speed. In the Academic Discussion, practice and compare can make your position precise; use them in a sentence that also gives a reason. In Complete the Words you see only the first letters of a word, so practice spelling workshop and grade as well as knowing what they mean. Other easy themes
Previous ← Schedule and campus services Next Study materials and records → Frequently Asked Questions How many words are in the classroom work list? + 40, from course to discuss, all in the easy tier of our TOEFL list. The self-check quiz on this page tests 8 of them, beginning with course.
Where do classroom work words appear on the TOEFL? + Language like this is most useful in Listen to a Conversation, Listen and Choose a Response, Academic Discussion and Complete the Words. These are everyday words worth being able to use, not just recognize.
Which classroom work words should I learn first? + Start with workshop (a session for guided practice); major (a student's main field of study); detail (a small but meaningful fact). In Listen to a Conversation, listen for lecture and quiz as signals of what each speaker needs or decides.