Meaning & use
intensive classes
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Meanings
nounplural
A short course of study with many hours of teaching each day, designed to teach something quickly.
Grammar: Used as a plural noun phrase; takes a plural verb: 'The intensive classes are expensive.'
Patterns
- intensive classes in something
- take intensive classes
- offer intensive classes
She took intensive classes in Spanish before her trip to Madrid.
The school offers intensive classes that run from nine to five every day for three weeks.
Intensive classes are popular with students who need to pass an exam quickly.
nounplural
A set of demanding training sessions that aim to improve a skill in a short time.
Grammar: Often followed by 'in' plus the skill: 'intensive classes in public speaking'.
Patterns
- intensive classes in something
- a series of intensive classes
The company paid for intensive classes in negotiation for its sales team.
After two weeks of intensive classes, his driving improved a lot.
Common combinations
- take intensive classes
- He decided to take intensive classes to prepare for the test.
- offer intensive classes
- The college offers intensive classes during the summer holidays.
- intensive classes in English
- She signed up for intensive classes in English.
- a week of intensive classes
- A week of intensive classes left everyone exhausted but confident.
Synonyms and how they differ
- crash course
- A crash course is even shorter and more urgent, often just a few days, while intensive classes usually last several weeks.
- immersion course
- An immersion course surrounds you with the language all day, often abroad; intensive classes simply mean many hours of lessons.
Opposites
Word family
- intensive adjective
- Involving a lot of effort or activity in a short period.
- intensively adverb
- In a way that involves a lot of effort or activity.
- intensity noun
- The strength or seriousness of something.
Commonly confused: intensive classes or intense?
intensive classes vs intense
Intense describes a strong feeling or experience ('intense heat'); intensive describes a concentrated activity or course.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'intensive classes' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Intensive classes' is a plural noun phrase and fits after 'taking' in sentence 2. Sentence 1 uses the wrong verb form ('was' should be 'were'), sentence 3 has no verb, and sentence 4 needs a preposition such as 'in' or 'at'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “intensive classes”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.