cramming
cramming — verb
1. to study a large amount in a very short time, especially just before a test, or
to study a large amount in a very short time, especially just before a test, or to make someone do this.
Ava is cramming for her chemistry final in the library tonight.
cram for + exam/test
After missing two classes, Diya spent Sunday cramming vocabulary before Monday's quiz.
The tutor was cramming six teenagers for the nursing entrance test.
Tomas kept cramming grammar rules on the bus before the language test.
文法句型
cram for + exam/test
cram + material before + exam
cram + person + for + exam
用法筆記
Usually followed by for plus the test or subject. When it takes an object, the object is the material or the student, not the exam itself.
常見錯誤
2. to shove many things together so tightly that the place holding them is almost f
to shove many things together so tightly that the place holding them is almost full.
Christopher was cramming sweaters into one suitcase before the train left.
cram + object + into + container
The florist kept cramming fresh roses into every empty bucket.
Mira watched the movers cramming boxes under the narrow staircase.
We ended up cramming four bikes into the back of the van.
文法句型
cram + object + into + container/place
用法筆記
The object is usually clothes, boxes, people, or other things that barely fit. It often appears with into, under, or inside plus the small place.
常見錯誤
3. to fit many activities into a limited period, so the plan feels crowded or rushe
to fit many activities into a limited period, so the plan feels crowded or rushed.
Lara is cramming three client calls and a dentist visit into Friday.
cram + activities + into + day
The festival team kept cramming extra bands into the weekend schedule.
After the delay, Eli was cramming two meetings into one afternoon.
Our guide tried cramming five museums into a single rainy morning.
- squeeze in
very close, often with a stronger sense of barely finding time
- pack in
similar, but slightly more neutral and less rushed
- overload
focuses on creating too much work rather than fitting it into time
- space out
to spread activities over a longer period
- spread out
to arrange things with more time between them
文法句型
cram + activity/task + into + time period
用法筆記
The object is an event, task, or visit, and the time expression usually comes after into. Distinguish from PACK TIGHTLY, which is about physical space rather than time.
常見錯誤
cramming — noun
1. hurried study done just before a test, usually to remember as much as possible.
hurried study done just before a test, usually to remember as much as possible.
The dorm was silent except for the cramming before tomorrow's history exam.
cramming before + exam
Late-night cramming left Trang too tired to think clearly in class.
late-night cramming
For Kenji, no amount of cramming could replace the months he had skipped.
The teacher warned that cramming often leads to blank faces during the test.
- last-minute study
more descriptive and less informal than cramming
- revision
broader and can include calm review over a longer period
- steady study
regular preparation over time rather than rushed work
文法句型
cramming for + exam/test
late-night cramming
用法筆記
Usually uncountable and often linked to exams, tests, or deadlines. It suggests rushed memorising rather than steady learning.
常見錯誤
2. a mass of people or things pressed so closely together that movement becomes dif
a mass of people or things pressed so closely together that movement becomes difficult.
The cramming of commuters at the station door delayed the train.
the cramming of + people
Fire officers blamed the cramming near the exit for several minor injuries.
During the sale, security guards tried to stop the cramming at the shop entrance.
One child began crying when the cramming on the footbridge grew worse.
- crush
more common for a dangerous mass of people pressing together
- overcrowding
broader and less physical than cramming
文法句型
the cramming of + people
cramming at + place
用法筆記
This rare noun usually appears in reports about dangerous crowd pressure. In everyday speech, crush or overcrowding is more common.