to fail to get an answer or a result: E.g. "He asked me for my phone number and I drew a blank - I just couldn't remember it."
25
to figure something out
to discover something or resolve a problem. E.g. “I can’t figure out how to do the math homework.”
10
to rack one’s brain
to think long and hard about something. E.g. “I racked my brain, but I couldn’t think of a good topic for my research paper.”
20
to daydream
to fantasize instead of paying attention to one’s surroundings. E.g.: “Richard isn’t a bad student, but he has a tendency to daydream in class.”
5
teacher’s pet
A student who is clearly the favorite of the teacher and often receives special treatment.
10
class clown
A disruptive student who often makes jokes instead of paying attention and doing their work.
10
to pass with flying colors
To easily accomplish something. We often use this expression to talk about tests or exams.
15
to sail through
to easily succeed at something. E.g. “I don’t think you’ll be able to sail through college if you’re majoring in chemical engineering.”
25
to ace
to get an “A” or a very high grade. E.g. “Sometimes I think my teacher is secretly disappointed when we all ace his tests.”
20
A cheat sheet
A cheat sheet is a piece of paper with answers written on it that student use to cheat on a test. “I would never use a cheat sheet. I’m not dishonest.”
20
To bomb
To bomb a test means to get a terrible grade on a test. E.g. “Do you think Mrs. McGillicuddy will give let us retake the test if we all bomb it today?”
25
A walk in the park
When something is very easy. E.g. “Everyone wants to take Dr. Sullivan’s biology class. Everyone knows it’s a walk in the park.”
15
to hit the books
To hit the books means to study. E.g. “Finals are next week and I haven’t even started studying yet. I’d better hit the books tonight.”
15
to pull an all-nighter
To pull an all-nighter means to stay up all night studying or working. ex: “I’d recommend that you not pull an all-nighter. It’s not good for your health.”
15
to catch on
To understand something after initially not being able to comprehend it. ex: “The present perfect tense used to be hard for me. It took me a while to catch on.”
10
to drop out
To decide to leave school and no longer pursue a degree or diploma. E.g.: “Why do you think so many people drop out of college?”
