classes
classes — verb
- classespresent simple I / you / we / they
- classeses3rd person singular
- classesing-ing form
- classesedpast simple
1. to decide which group or type a person or thing belongs to, based on their quali
to decide which group or type a person or thing belongs to, based on their qualities
Joon classes his cooking as either 'good enough' or 'needs more practice.'
class + as + adjective phrase for category
The hospital classes all head injuries as serious until doctors finish their tests.
institutional subject + class + as + adjective
These documents are classed as confidential and must be kept in a locked cabinet.
Rachid classes the ancient vase as a rare example of Roman glasswork from the first century.
- classify
more common in everyday usage
- categorize
often used for organizing information or items
- rank
suggests a hierarchy or order of quality
文法句型
class + noun + as + noun/adjective
用法筆記
Often used in formal contexts to describe official or institutional grouping systems.
classes — noun
- classessingular
- classesesplural
1. students receiving instruction together from the same teacher in a school or uni
students receiving instruction together from the same teacher in a school or university setting.
Naoko's art class has only eight students this semester.
The whole class laughed when the teacher dropped her chalk.
whole class — referring to all students as one group
Students in the morning class finished their project early.
Chiara is the tallest person in her English class.
2. a regular period of time during which a teacher gives a lesson to a group of stu
a regular period of time during which a teacher gives a lesson to a group of students.
Dario fell asleep during history class yesterday afternoon.
Eleni has three music classes every Tuesday and Thursday.
every Tuesday and Thursday — frequency pattern with days
The school decided to make each class forty-five minutes long.
Ayesha always sits at the front during maths class so she can see the board clearly.
用法筆記
Often used with a subject name before 'class' (e.g. history class, maths class, science class).
常見錯誤
3. a scheduled session where an instructor leads a group through physical activitie
a scheduled session where an instructor leads a group through physical activities, often set to music.
Joaquín goes to a yoga class every Saturday morning at the community centre.
A spin class at the gym usually burns around five hundred calories.
spin class / yoga class / fitness class — noun + class pattern
The Zumba class was so full that some people had to stand near the back wall.
A Pilates class can help strengthen your lower back muscles over time.
用法筆記
Commonly used with a type of exercise before 'class' (e.g. yoga class, spin class, dance class, Zumba class).
4. all the students who finish their studies successfully at a school, college, or
all the students who finish their studies successfully at a school, college, or university in the same year.
The class of 2023 held their graduation ceremony in the main hall.
class of [year] — standard pattern for graduating group
Defne was chosen to give a speech on behalf of her entire graduating class.
Over ninety percent of the senior class found jobs within three months.
Since graduation, the class of 2019 has organized a reunion every five years.
- graduating class
more explicit about the graduation context
- year group
common in British English; broader — does not necessarily imply graduation
用法筆記
Frequently appears in the phrase 'class of [year]' (e.g. class of 2024). Also called 'graduating class' or 'senior class' in American English.
常見錯誤
5. a section of a society whose members have roughly the same amount of money, scho
a section of a society whose members have roughly the same amount of money, schooling, and social standing.
The working class in many countries has seen wages rise slowly over the past decade.
working class / middle class / upper class — social rank categories
Nellie grew up in a middle-class family that valued education above everything else.
Some people believe that social class still affects a child's chances of success at school.
Yasmin's research explores how class shapes people's access to healthcare.
- social class
the full formal term; 'class' is the shortened version
- socioeconomic status
more formal and academic; includes income, education, and occupation
- stratum
technical term used in sociology
用法筆記
Often combined with modifiers — working class, middle class, upper class, lower class — to indicate the level of wealth and status. In academic contexts, 'social class' is the standard term.
6. a category showing the quality, price, or service standard of a product or servi
a category showing the quality, price, or service standard of a product or service within a ranked commercial grading system
Sivan always books a business-class seat when flying to Tokyo for work.
business class / first class — quality tier patterns
Hotels in this price range are considered first-class accommodation by most travellers.
The airline offers three classes of tickets — economy, premium, and business.
Furniture of this class is made with solid wood and costs much more than cheaper options.
用法筆記
This sense focuses on commercial quality and price tiers — hotel star ratings, airline cabin classes, product grades. The modifier always names the tier level (first class, business class, economy class, top class). Distinguish from sense 12 (CATEGORY OR TYPE), which covers abstract categories or types in any domain without reference to a price or quality ranking.
7. In the British university system, the level of achievement shown in a student's
In the British university system, the level of achievement shown in a student's final degree result, such as first-class or second-class honours.
Mei-Lin was thrilled to graduate with a first-class degree from the University of Edinburgh.
collocation: first-class degree / second-class degree
Oliver's upper second-class degree helped him get a place on a competitive graduate training programme.
To earn a first-class honours degree, students must achieve very high marks across all their final exams.
Some employers specifically ask for applicants with an upper second-class degree or higher.
Vikram was proud to receive a third-class degree after overcoming serious financial difficulties.
用法筆記
Used mainly in the UK and countries that follow the British degree system. The levels are typically first-class (highest), upper second-class (2:1), lower second-class (2:2), and third-class.
常見錯誤
8. Under the Misuse of Drugs Act in Britain, the risk category given to an illegal
Under the Misuse of Drugs Act in Britain, the risk category given to an illegal substance — from the most harmful (class A) to the least harmful (class C) — which determines the legal penalties for carrying or selling it.
Possessing a class A drug in the UK can lead to a long prison sentence.
collocation: class A drug / class B drug / class C drug
Kwame explained that class B drugs carry a maximum penalty of fourteen years for dealing.
The court found Santi guilty of supplying class C substances without a licence.
The police found a small amount of a class B drug in his jacket during the routine stop.
Campaigners argue that some class C drugs should be re-evaluated for their potential medical uses.
用法筆記
Specific to the UK Misuse of Drugs Act. Class A includes heroin and cocaine; class B includes cannabis and amphetamines; class C includes some tranquillisers.
9. Used to say that someone or something is so exceptionally good at a given activi
Used to say that someone or something is so exceptionally good at a given activity that no other person or thing in that area can be compared to them.
When it comes to baking French pastries, Ananya is in a class of her own.
idiom: be in a class of one's own (people, singular)
The new electric car is in a class of its own for battery range and safety features.
idiom: be in a class of its own (things, singular)
For sound quality, these wireless headphones are in a class of their own.
Most local bands are decent, but this new group from Osaka is no class — their live show is stunning.
Of all the young violinists in the competition, Tariq is in a class of his own.
- unrivalled
more formal, can replace the idiom in writing
- second to none
also idiomatic, similar meaning but slightly less emphatic
- in a different league
similar meaning, more common than 'no class' in general English
文法句型
be + in a class of one's own / its own / their own
be + no class
用法筆記
The core idiom 'in a class of one's own' requires pronoun agreement with the subject: 'in a class of her/his own' for people (singular), 'in a class of their own' for plural people or things, and 'in a class of its own' for singular things. The variant 'no class' (British informal) inverts the polarity: 'X is no class' means X is far better than Y, NOT that X lacks sophistication. This is the same domain of exceptional quality expressed through a different grammatical pattern.
常見錯誤
10. a quality that makes someone or something appear stylish, elegant, or impressive
a quality that makes someone or something appear stylish, elegant, or impressive in appearance, behaviour, or manner
Hoa wore a simple black dress to the ceremony, and everyone admired her class.
uncountable noun: 'class' used without article for style quality
The hotel they chose has real class — from the marble entrance to the rooftop garden.
Pedro handled the criticism with class, thanking the reviewer for their honest opinion.
The wedding decorations showed real class, with fresh flowers and soft candlelight.
Baraka is known for dressing with class, even on casual Fridays at the office.
- elegance
more formal and often suggests graceful, refined beauty
- style
broader term covering fashion, flair, and personal taste
- sophistication
suggests worldly knowledge and cultured taste
用法筆記
Uncountable — this sense has no plural form. Often used in the fixed phrase 'with class' or 'a person of class'.
常見錯誤
11. in biology, a level in the scientific arrangement of living things, placed above
in biology, a level in the scientific arrangement of living things, placed above order and below phylum or division
In biology class, the students learned that birds belong to the class Aves.
scientific usage: 'class' + capitalized taxonomic name
All flowering plants are placed in the class Angiospermae by botanists.
The zoology textbook explains how each class of mammals has unique features.
Frogs and toads both belong to the class Amphibia but have different lifestyles.
Eitan studied how scientists divide insects into different classes by their wing structure.
用法筆記
In taxonomic writing, the class name is often capitalised and given in Latin. Frequently followed by 'of' (e.g. 'a class of reptiles').
12. a group of people or things that share similar qualities or features, used when
a group of people or things that share similar qualities or features, used when sorting or describing them
The products are divided into three classes based on size and price.
passive: 'be divided into classes' for classification
This type of music does not fit into any existing class of popular music.
Rohan discovered a whole new class of mathematical problems during his research.
The exam questions fall into two classes: multiple choice and short answer.
Defne explained that these ancient tools belong to a different class of stone artifacts.
用法筆記
This sense covers general abstract categories or types of things in any domain — types of problems, kinds of music, sorts of artifacts. The focus is on shared features that define a group, not on a quality or price ranking. Distinguish from sense 6 (QUALITY GROUP), which is specifically about commercial service tiers (airline cabins, hotel ratings, product grades).
常見錯誤
❌ 'This belongs to a different class of products' is correct but many learners say 'kind' or 'sort' instead — both are acceptable, but 'class' is more formal and precise for technical or commercial sorting.
13. a set of teaching sessions that cover a particular subject, typically held over
a set of teaching sessions that cover a particular subject, typically held over several weeks or months at a school or university
Sofia is taking a class in ancient Greek history at the university this semester.
pattern: 'take a class in [subject]'
The photography class covers everything from camera settings to editing techniques.
Anong signed up for an online class to improve her Mandarin speaking skills.
The evening cooking class at the community centre is fully booked this term.
Hao completed a six-week writing class and published his first short story.
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 2 (a single lesson period) — this sense refers to a whole course spanning multiple meetings. In American English, 'class' often replaces the British 'course' at university level.
常見錯誤
classes — adjective
- classespositive
- more classescomparative
- most classessuperlative
1. extremely good in quality, behaviour, or character; showing a high level of skil
extremely good in quality, behaviour, or character; showing a high level of skill or style. Used informally to express strong approval in British English. Covers both the predicative pattern ('She is class') and the attributive pattern ('a class performance', 'a class act').
Jude kept the audience laughing when the microphone broke — he is a class act.
fixed phrase: 'a class act' for impressive, stylish behaviour
Sofia says the new brunch place near the library is class — the pastries are amazing.
predictive use: 'be class' for excellent quality
Adaeze gave a class performance at the piano recital and received a standing ovation.
Justin's speech at the award ceremony was pure class — honest, warm, and funny.
In the school chess tournament, Yumi was class — she beat every opponent without any trouble.
As a maths tutor, Amara is class — all of her students improve their grades within weeks.
The band's drummer is class; every beat is perfectly timed and full of energy.
文法句型
be class
a class act
用法筆記
Predominantly informal British slang. In attributive position (a class act, a class performance) it suggests style and sophistication. In predicative position (that's class, he is class) it simply means excellent. Note that this adjective sense is historically connected to noun sense 9 (the idiom 'in a class of one's own') — both express exceptional quality, but the adjective is a separate lexical item that functions grammatically as an adjective.