# grades

/ˈɡɹeɪdz/ (US) · /ɡɹˈeɪdz/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/grades
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. school marks

noun · CEFR A2

the letters or numbers you receive for your work in school or university.

For teachers: marks or ratings indicating the quality of a student's performance in an examination or course of study.

- She worked very hard all semester and got excellent grades in every subject.
- The university admissions committee reviews predicted grades alongside personal statements to determine which candidates receive early offers of placement.

### 2. school levels

noun · CEFR B1 · American English

the different levels or years in a school system, especially for younger children.

For teachers: the successive stages or years of a primary or secondary school curriculum.

- In the early grades, children spend most of their time learning to read and write.
- The curriculum for the middle grades focuses on developing critical thinking skills through integrated science and social studies projects.

## Examples

- She always gets high grades in her science classes.
- The teacher spent the entire weekend reviewing essays and assigning final grades for the semester.
- While standardized testing remains a primary metric for evaluation, many educators argue that grades alone do not capture a student's full intellectual growth or creative potential.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.