credits

Meanings

1. 1nounplural

   The list of names of people who worked on a film, TV show, or other production, shown at the beginning or end.

   Grammar: Always plural when talking about the list. Use 'the credits' or 'opening credits' / 'closing credits'.

   Patterns

   • the credits
   • opening credits
   • closing credits
   • roll credits

   We stayed to watch the credits because we wanted to see who wrote the music.

   The actor's name didn't appear in the opening credits, which was strange.

   The closing credits rolled while the audience slowly left the cinema.

2. 2nouncountable

   Units that measure how much work a student has completed, used by schools and universities.

   Grammar: Countable; you can say 'three credits' or 'a three-credit course'.

   Patterns

   • earn credits
   • get credits
   • course credits
   • credits toward a degree

   She needs 120 credits to graduate with a bachelor's degree.

   He took extra classes last summer to earn enough credits for his major.

   This course is worth three credits, so it's a serious time commitment.

3. 3nouncountable

   A sum of money that you can use to buy things, especially in a game, app, or online store.

   Grammar: Often used in digital contexts; you can say 'buy credits' or 'spend credits'.

   Patterns

   • buy credits
   • spend credits
   • game credits
   • online credits

   You can buy 100 credits for $10 and use them to unlock new levels.

   I spent all my credits on a virtual hat for my character.

   The app gives you free credits when you sign up.

4. 4nounplural

   Acknowledgment or praise given to someone for their work or contribution.

   Grammar: Usually plural in this sense; often used in phrases like 'give credit' or 'take credit'.

   Patterns

   • give credits
   • take credits
   • deserve credits
   • get credits for something

   She deserves credits for organizing the whole event by herself.

   He took all the credits for the team's success, which annoyed everyone.

   The director gave credits to the entire cast and crew during the speech.

5. 5nouncountable or uncountable

   A way of paying for something over time, or the record of money you have borrowed and must repay.

   Grammar: Can be countable (a credit) or uncountable (buy on credit). Often in business contexts.

   Patterns

   • buy on credit
   • credit card
   • credit limit
   • interest-free credit

   The store offers interest-free credits for large purchases.

   He used his credits to pay for the furniture, but now he owes a lot.

   My credit limit was increased, so I can spend more this month.

Word forms

Common combinations

opening credits

The opening credits featured a catchy song.

closing credits

We left before the closing credits finished.

earn credits

You need to earn 30 credits this semester.

buy credits

You can buy credits to use in the game.

give credit

The teacher gave credit to the whole group.

take credit

He always takes credit for other people's ideas.

Synonyms and how they differ

acknowledgment

More formal; often used for recognizing someone's contribution in a speech or document, not for the list of names in a film.

points

Used for scores in games or loyalty programs, but not for academic units or film lists.

Word family

credit noun

Singular form; can mean praise, a unit of study, or a payment method.

creditable adjective

Deserving praise or recognition.

creditor noun

A person or company that you owe money to.

Commonly confused: credits or credits vs. credit?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “credits”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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