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preliminary exam

preliminary exam

1 4.9
An exam graduate students take to show they can continue their studies
  • noun
  • /prɪˈlɪməˌnɛri ɪɡˈzæm/
  • Specialized
translation icon : examen preliminar
  • We do see a clear correlation between an incoming graduate student's Physics GRE score and their score on the other dreaded exam in a physics student's career, the Ph.D. written preliminary exam, which is a very different beast.

Examples

  • Passing the preliminary exam is crucial for advancing to the next stage of the doctoral program.

  • Be certain, though, that adverse selection will cause more and more candidates who wish to enter the actuarial field to attend Canadian universities with the understanding that the newly approved path is an easier way to bypass the preliminary exams.

    Blog text (27)
  • We could begin to schedule preliminary exams around the same time that finals occur in college.

    Blog text (27)
  • It's unfair because consider this: would 100% of the students who pass each sitting of the preliminary exams pass the same exam in the next sitting?

    Blog text (27)
  • He is scheduled for an Oct. 10 preliminary exam in the New Baltimore court.

    Blog text (6)
  • The graduate students were anxious as they prepared for their preliminary exam next week.

  • She studied hard for her preliminary exam to ensure she could continue her research in the lab.

Synonyms

prelim
vspreliminary exam
  • Jargon
5 8.5

An exam graduate students take early to show they can continue their studies

is used later as a gate before advancing to candidacy
preliminary examination
vspreliminary exam
  • Specialized
2 7.0

A test for graduate students to check readiness for advanced study

focuses on readiness to continue in the program, often before candidacy
prelims
vspreliminary exam
  • Jargon
4.9

Tests taken before the final exam to check if students are ready

is specifically for graduate progression, often used before advancing to candidacy

Antonyms

25 2.7

A test at the end of a school term that checks what you learned

How Important

final exam
25 2.7
preliminary exam
  • Specialized
1 4.9
midterm
  • US
128 3.3
quiz
128 1.3

Surface Forms

Morphology

preliminary + exam

The meaning 'an exam that serves as a preparatory or introductory assessment' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'preliminary' (preparatory) with 'exam' (formal assessment). While the term can have specific institutional uses (e.g., graduate candidacy), the core compositional meaning is clear to a B1 learner who knows both constituents and mirrors patterns found in many other languages.

Etymology

Preliminary exam is a name for a test that comes before the main test: preliminary means 'before' and exam means a test. Imagine a door you must open to enter the next room, so this first test checks if you are 'ready' to continue in the program.