Meaning & use
a course
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Meanings
phrasecountable
A series of lessons or classes on one subject, usually lasting several weeks or months.
Grammar: Countable: you can say a course, two courses, or the course; the article an is part of the phrase.
Patterns
- take a course in something
- a course in something
- a course on something
- do a course
She is taking a course in Spanish at the community college.
I signed up for a course on web design that starts next month.
He failed the course twice and had to change his major.
phrasesingular
The direction in which something is moving or being directed.
Grammar: Often used with verbs like change, set, or stay; a course here is a route or line of travel.
Patterns
- change course
- set a course for something
- stay on course
- off course
The ship changed course to avoid the storm.
The pilot set a course for the nearest airport.
The project is still on course to finish by June.
phrasecountable
One of the parts of a meal served separately, especially in a formal dinner.
Grammar: Countable: a three-course meal means three separate dishes served in order.
Patterns
- a three-course meal
- the main course
- a first course
We had a three-course meal at the wedding.
The main course was roast chicken with vegetables.
For the first course, they served soup.
Word forms
| plural | courses |
|---|
Common combinations
- take a course
- I want to take a course in photography this summer.
- a course in something
- He teaches a course in business English.
- a course on something
- She enrolled in a course on climate science.
- change course
- The government decided to change course on tax policy.
- on course
- The building is on course to open in September.
- a three-course meal
- They booked a three-course meal for their anniversary.
Synonyms and how they differ
- class
- A class is a single lesson or group of students meeting regularly; a course is the whole program of lessons over time.
- program
- A program is often a longer, official series of courses leading to a qualification, while a course is usually one subject.
- route
- Route is used for the path itself, especially in travel; course is more formal and often suggests direction over time.
Word family
- coursework noun
- Work done by students during a course, rather than in a final exam.
- courser noun
- A person who takes a course, though this word is rare.
Commonly confused: a course or coarse? a course or of course?
a course vs coarse
Coarse means rough or not fine, and sounds the same as course; check the spelling if you mean a class or direction.
a course vs of course
Of course means certainly or naturally; a course means a class or a direction.
Practice
Which sentence uses "a course" correctly?
Choose one answer.
"A course in French" is the most common pattern for a subject you study. "A course of French" is not natural, and "on French" is used for topics like history rather than languages; "for French" suggests a purpose, not a subject.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “a course”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.