Student Union
New in the Glossary: Grade, Mark, Score
We had a new word request for our Glossary of Confusing Words:
These words( Grade/Mark/Score) are used in educational issues (as the result of exam) with same meaning but different usage. Sometimes, They confuse me as i don't know which one should be used. For example , my result in an exam is my grade,mark or score? How can i ask my teacher about it? Should i say" What's my score?" or " What grade did i get? or something else.
Grade, mark and score are pretty much synonyms. They can all be used to describe how well you did on an exam. BUT, in the U.S. it’s most common to use the word “grade.”
So, you would ask your teacher, “What grade did I get?” if you want to know how you did on a test.
“Mark” is the more common word in British English. “Score” can be used, and no one would look at you weirdly if you used it, but it’s more often reserved for referring to games or sports.
If you’re telling someone what grade you got on an exam, most of the time you won’t need any word at all. You’d just say, “I got an A” (we hope!) or “I got a 95.”
It's also worth noting that the word "grade" can refer to something else about education as well; it can be used to describe what year you are in school. The grades go from 1 (called first grade) to 12 (called twelfth grade or senior year). Most students are 6 or 7 years old in first grade, and 17 or 18 years old in twelfth grade. "Grades" are only used for elementary (primary), middle, and high school, and not for college or graduate school.
Have a confusing word to contribute to our glossary? Suggest a word in the comments, or by using the form below.
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Some information for this report came from The Associated Press.
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