Meaning & use
semester final
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountableAmerican
A test at the end of a semester, covering all the material from that term.
Grammar: Countable; can be used with 'a' or in the plural: 'I have three semester finals next week.'
Patterns
- take a semester final
- study for a semester final
- pass/fail a semester final
I have to study hard for my history semester final.
She was nervous about the semester final in chemistry.
The professor gave a review session before the semester final.
Word forms
| plural | semester finals |
|---|
Common combinations
- take a semester final
- I have to take a semester final in math tomorrow.
- study for a semester final
- He spent the weekend studying for his semester final.
- pass a semester final
- She was relieved to pass the semester final.
- fail a semester final
- If you fail the semester final, you might have to retake the course.
Synonyms and how they differ
- final exam
- A more general term for any end-of-course test; 'semester final' specifically refers to the test at the end of a semester.
- end-of-term exam
- Used in British English; 'semester final' is the American equivalent.
Commonly confused: semester final or final?
semester final vs final
'Final' can refer to any last test, while 'semester final' specifically means the test at the end of a semester.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'semester final' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Semester final' refers to a test at the end of a semester, so it typically occurs at the end of the term, not at the beginning or in a different time frame. Option 0 is the only one that fits the meaning of a test at the end of the current semester.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “semester final”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.