Talking about: MY SCHOOL

Here you can find some questions you can ask your partner during conversation about my school:

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1. What is the compulsory <p class = tooltip2><b>compulsory</b> (level: upper intermediate)</p><p class = tooltip2>obligatory</p><p class = tooltip2><i>The military service is no longer compulsory in many countries.</i></p> age in your country at which you start education?

2. What is the compulsory age in your country at which you may finish your education?

3. How long do people go to primary/elementary school <p class = tooltip2><b>primary school (US elementary school)</b> (level: intermediate)</p><p class = tooltip2>the first school that children go to, mainly at the age of 6-7</p><p class = tooltip2><i>They decided to send their 6 year old son to a private primary school for fear that the standards of public schools might be low.</i></p> in your country?

4. How long do people go to secondary/high school <p class = tooltip2><b>secondary school (US high school)</b> (level: intermediate)</p><p class = tooltip2>a school where you learn until you are 18</p><p class = tooltip2><i>After you graduate from secondary school you may choose whether to go to work or to the university.</i></p> in your country?

5. Did/do you attend a public school or a private one?

6. Did/do you attend a boarding school <p class = tooltip2><b>boarding school</b> (level: upper intermediate)</p><p class = tooltip2>a school where you learn and live at the same time</p><p class = tooltip2><i>They wouldn’t send their children to a boarding school, where they couldn’t control them.</i></p>?

7. What do you think about boarding schools?

8. Would you send your child to a boarding school?

9. Did/do you have to wear a school uniform <p class = tooltip2><b>school uniform</b> (level: intermediate)</p><p class = tooltip2>a set of clothes worn by all students of a particular school</p><p class = tooltip2><i>The big advantage of wearing school uniforms is that all children look the same and there is no showing off and discriminating poor children.</i></p>? Did you like it?

10. Did/do most of your teachers take attendance <p class = tooltip2><b>to take attendance</b> (level: intermediate)</p><p class = tooltip2>to check whether students are present in the classroom</p><p class = tooltip2><i>Our biology teacher never takes attendance so I rarely go to her classes.</i></p>?

11. Was/is your school strict <p class = tooltip2><b>strict</b> (level: intermediate)</p><p class = tooltip2>limiting the freedom to do what you want</p><p class = tooltip2><i>We have to obey very strict rules at school, for example as to the way we look and talk to the teacher.</i></p>?

12. Did/do you have much homework?

13. What is your best memory from high school?

14. What is your worst memory from high school?

15. Did/do you belong to any social clubs in school?

16. Did/do you like your classmates <p class = tooltip2><b>classmate</b> (level: intermediate)</p><p class = tooltip2>someone from your class at school</p><p class = tooltip2><i>I really don’t like my classmates and I am thinking of changing the class or even the school.</i></p>?

17. Do you still meet your classmates after graduating from <p class = tooltip2><b>to graduate from</b> (level: intermediate)</p><p class = tooltip2>to finish education in a particular school/university</p><p class = tooltip2><i>After I graduated from university, I was free to go abroad and get a job there.</i></p> school?

18. Did/do you belong to any sports team in school? What did/do you play?

19. What subjects are included in the curriculum <p class = tooltip2><b>curriculum</b> (level: upper intermediate)</p><p class = tooltip2>the group of subjects that you have to learn in a particular school</p><p class = tooltip2><i>The Ministry of Education is planning to add new subjects to the curriculum of primary schools.</i></p> in your country?

20. What was/is your favourite subject in school?

21. What was/is your worst subject in school?

22. Who was/is your favourite teacher? Describe him/her.

23. Who was/is your worst teacher? Why didn’t/don’t you like him/her?

24. How often were/are you absent <p class = tooltip2><b>absent</b> (level: intermediate)</p><p class = tooltip2>nor present</p><p class = tooltip2><i>She has been absent from school for ten days now, because of the serious illness.</i></p>?

25. How often were/are you late for a class?

26. Did/do your class misbehave <p class = tooltip2><b>to misbehave</b> (level: upper intermediate)</p><p class = tooltip2>to behave badly</p><p class = tooltip2><i>The teacher is so strict and severe that nobody ever dares to misbehave in her classes.</i></p> often?

27. How did/do your teachers react to misbehaviour?

28. Did/do you cheat <p class = tooltip2><b>to cheat</b> (level: intermediate)</p><p class = tooltip2>to behave in a dishonest way to achieve what you want, for example to look at your classmate’s test during an exam</p><p class = tooltip2><i>English schools are strict with students who cheat during exams. They are usually expelled from school.</i></p> during tests/exams?

29. Have you ever been caught <p class = tooltip2><b>to catch sb doing sth</b> (level: intermediate)</p><p class = tooltip2>to see or discover that someone is doing something bad or dishonest</p><p class = tooltip2><i>He was caught smoking behind the school, so the teacher called for his parents.</i></p> cheating during a test/ an exam? Were you punished for that?

30. What kind of school-leaving exams <p class = tooltip2><b>school-leaving exam</b> (level: intermediate)</p><p class = tooltip2>an exam that you take at the end of your education in a particular school</p><p class = tooltip2><i>It’s warm and sunny, but we all have to sit at home and study for our school-leaving exam.</i></p> do you have to take during your education?

31. Would you like to introduce <p class = tooltip2><b>to introduce</b> (level: intermediate)</p><p class = tooltip2>to use something for the first time</p><p class = tooltip2><i>Our principal introduced school uniforms, which made him very unpopular among students.</i></p> any changes to the school system in your country?

32. Are you satisfied with your education?

Useful vocabulary connected with: MY SCHOOL

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compulsory (level: upper intermediate)
obligatory
The military service is no longer compulsory in many countries.

primary school (US elementary school) (level: intermediate)
the first school that children go to, mainly at the age of 6-7
They decided to send their 6 year old son to a private primary school for fear that the standards of public schools might be low.

secondary school (US high school) (level: intermediate)
a school where you learn until you are 18
After you graduate from secondary school you may choose whether to go to work or to the university.

boarding school (level: upper intermediate)
a school where you learn and live at the same time
They wouldn’t send their children to a boarding school, where they couldn’t control them.

school uniform (level: intermediate)
a set of clothes worn by all students of a particular school
The big advantage of wearing school uniforms is that all children look the same and there is no showing off and discriminating poor children.

to take attendance (level: intermediate)
to check whether students are present in the classroom
Our biology teacher never takes attendance so I rarely go to her classes.

strict (level: intermediate)
limiting the freedom to do what you want
We have to obey very strict rules at school, for example as to the way we look and talk to the teacher.

classmate (level: intermediate)
someone from your class at school
I really don’t like my classmates and I am thinking of changing the class or even the school.

to graduate from (level: intermediate)
to finish education in a particular school/university
After I graduated from university, I was free to go abroad and get a job there.

curriculum (level: upper intermediate)
the group of subjects that you have to learn in a particular school
The Ministry of Education is planning to add new subjects to the curriculum of primary schools.

absent (level: intermediate)
nor present
She has been absent from school for ten days now, because of the serious illness.

to misbehave (level: upper intermediate)
to behave badly
The teacher is so strict and severe that nobody ever dares to misbehave in her classes.

to cheat (level: intermediate)
to behave in a dishonest way to achieve what you want, for example to look at your classmate’s test during an exam
English schools are strict with students who cheat during exams. They are usually expelled from school.

to catch sb doing sth (level: intermediate)
to see or discover that someone is doing something bad or dishonest
He was caught smoking behind the school, so the teacher called for his parents.

school-leaving exam (level: intermediate)
an exam that you take at the end of your education in a particular school
It’s warm and sunny, but we all have to sit at home and study for our school-leaving exam.

to introduce (level: intermediate)
to use something for the first time
Our principal introduced school uniforms, which made him very unpopular among students.

Idioms connected with: MY SCHOOL

from the old school (level: upper-intermediate)
having ideas, attitudes that were important and popular in the past, but they are no longer relevant
Fortunately there are few teachers from the old school now. They used to teach a lot, practice a little and knew nothing about how to make it easier for students to learn and understand.

tell tales out of school (level: advanced)
spread rumours or tell secrets
If you keep telling tales out of school, nobody will rely on you soon.

the old school tie (level: advanced)
the way in which graduates of a prestigious school help the others graduates of the same school in their careers
No matter how educated and experienced you are, you won’t get a job in this company. All vacancies are reserved for the old school tie.

to cut school/class (level: upper-intermediate)
to be absent at school without a good excuse
He has bad marks due to the fact that he often cuts classes to play football with friends.