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Most common school supplies vocabulary in English

Learning words from our surroundings and using them in real-world situations is the quickest approach to acquire vocabulary in English. As a result, you ought to begin learning how to say school supplies vocabulary immediately. Let PREP present some common school supplies in English and how to learn vocabulary effectively.

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Most common school supplies vocabulary in English

I. English vocabulary for school supplies

Let’s discover the glossary of school supplies in English with PREP.

1. Basic stuff

Let's take a look at some basic school supplies vocabulary that you should be familiar with if you wish to expand your vocabulary. PREP will list out the words with their phonetic transcriptions and illustrative examples to help you understand the meaning of the words and how they are used in context.

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Basic stuffa

School supplies vocabulary

Pronunciation

Example

Bag/backpack

Bag

/bæɡ/

She put her books in her bag before heading to school. 

Backpack

/ˈbæk.pæk/

He packed his backpack with all the necessary supplies for the camping trip.

Pens and other common school supplies

Ballpoint pen 

/ˌbɔːl.pɔɪnt ˈpen/

She prefers using ballpoint pens over fountain pens for everyday writing.

Gel pen

 

/dʒelpen/

Don't write in gel pen, or you won't be able to rub out any mistakes you make.

Pencil

/ˈpen.səl/

The pencil's blunt - you'd better sharpen it.

Eraser/ Rubber 

/ɪˈreɪ.sɚ/ /ˈrʌb.ər/

She used an eraser to fix the mistake she made on her homework.

Correction pen

/kəˈrek.ʃən.ˈpen/

Don’t use too many correction pens when you write. It looks negligent.

Colored pen 

/ˈkʌl.ɚdˈpen/

I use my colored pen to draw my pictures.

Pencil Sharpener 

/ˈpen.səl ˌʃɑː.pən.ər/

He sharpened his pencil with a pencil sharpener.

Pencil case 

/ˈpen.səl ˌkeɪs/

She keeps all her pencils in a pencil case.

Blackboard 

/ˈblæk.bɔːd/

The teacher wrote the math problem on the blackboard for the students to solve.

Chalk

/tʃɔːk/

He drew a picture with chalk on the sidewalk.

Duster

/ˈdʌs.tər/

She used a duster to clean the bookshelf.

Board 

/bɔːd/

She used a board to write down the exercise for students.

Marker

/ˈmɑːr.kɚ/

My teacher uses markers to write on the board.

Book 

/bʊk/

She loves to read books about historical events

Notebook

/ˈnoʊt.bʊk/

She was jotting things down in a little notebook.

Calculator

/ˈkæl.kjə.leɪ.tər/

He used a calculator to add up the numbers on math.

Table 

/ˈteɪ.bəl/

We ate our meals sitting around a large dining room table.

Chair

/tʃeər/

She sat in the comfortable chair to read her book.

Clamp

/læmp/

 

He used a clamp to keep the two pieces of wood together while he glued them.

Clock

/klɒk/

She looked at the clock on the wall and realized she was running late.

Computer

/kəmˈpjuː.tər/

He used his computer to do the tasks for informatics.

Laptop

/ˈlæp.tɑːp/

I always take my laptop when I travel.

Tablet

/ˈtæb.lət/

My mom has bought me a new tablet.

Dictionary

/ˈdɪk.ʃən.ər.i/

She looked up the definition of a word in the dictionary.

2. Art and crafts

Items for arts and crafts are essential items of school supplies. Let's go through English vocabulary related to school supplies - Arts and Crafts with PREP in the table below!

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Art and crafts

School supplies vocabulary

Pronunciation

Example

Color pens

Watercolor 

/ˈwɔː.təˌkʌl.ər/

She loves to paint with watercolors because of the soft, dreamy effect they create.

Crayon 

/ˈkreɪ.ɑːn/

My father has bought me a box of crayons.

Paint

/peɪnt/

He used paint to color the walls of his room.

Rulers

Ruler

/ˈruː.lər/

He used a ruler to draw a straight line

Tape measure

/ˈteɪp ˌmeʒ.ər/

She used a tape measure to check the length of the table.

Set Square

/ˈset ˌskweər/

He used a set square to draw a right angle.

Protractor 

/prəˈtræk.tər/

He used a protractor to measure the angle of the triangle.

Pins

Stapler 

/ˈsteɪ.plər/

He used a stapler to attach the pages together.

Thumbtack

/ˈθʌm.tæk/

He attached the photo to the wall with a thumbtack.

Stapler remover 

/ˈsteɪ.plər rɪˈmuː.vər/

She used a stapler remover to take out the staples from the paper.

Pins 

/pɪn/

I used pins to hang up the pictures on the wall.

Notebooks/drawing paper and crafting tools

Stencil

/ˈsten.səl/

She used a stencil to create the pattern on the wall.

Note 

/ˌnəʊt/

I wrote a note to remind myself of the meeting tomorrow.

Sketch book 

/sketʃbʊk/

He has bought a new sketchbook.

Scotch tape 

/ˌskɒtʃ ˈteɪp/

She used Scotch tape to wrap the gift.

Scissors 

/ˈsɪz.əz/

She used scissors to cut the paper into small pieces.

Ribbon 

/ˈrɪb.ən/

She tied a ribbon around the gift box.

3. Containers

When you discuss containers that hold other objects, what words come to mind? If you are at a loss for words, don't be afraid to save some school supplies vocabulary, such as the containers in the table below.

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Containers

School supplies vocabulary

Pronunciation

Example

Funnel

/ˈfʌn.əl/

She used a funnel to pour the liquid into the bottle.

Beaker 

/ˈbiː.kər/

The scientist measured the liquid using a beaker.

Bookcase/ Bookshelf

/ˈbʊk.keɪs/ /ˈbʊk.ʃelf/

He organized his books on the bookshelf/bookcase.

Dossier

/ˈdɒs.i.eɪ/

The teacher compiled a dossier on the student lists.

File cabinet

/fīl ˈkab(ə)nət/

She stored the files in the file cabinet.

File holder

/faɪlˈhəʊl.dər/

He kept important documents in the file holder

Flashcard 

/ˈflæʃ ˌkɑːd/

She used flashcards to memorize the vocabulary.

Notebook 

/ˈnəʊt.bʊk/

He took notes in his notebook during the lecture.

 

To make learning convenient for you, PREP has compiled these words into a PDF file. You can simply click the link to download the English vocabulary for school supplies for home practice!

II. Tips to memorize school supplies vocabulary in English

How can we remember and understand all the school supplies vocabulary in English? Don't worry, PREP will share with you some tips and tricks to quickly memorize those words in no time!

  • Learn by images: Learning new words with images helps you recall them much faster. Consider this: learning how to say a word with a connected image helps you think about real things. This helps you recall both the message and how to say it more quickly.

School supplies vocabulary

Image

Book 

Pencil

Funnel

Clock 

Dictionary

  • Learn by themes: Instead of studying individual words, PREP recommends using the Mind map method to list the words by themes. For example, with the theme "Classroom Objects", list the words as shown in the image below for faster and more efficient memory:
PREP recommends using the Mind map method to list the words by themes
  • Make a full sentence: Instead of studying individual words, build a whole sentence using that word. This strategy aids not just in remembering the new term but also in familiarizing oneself with English grammar. For example, if we only study the word "blackboard" with its meaning, it is very difficult to remember how to spell and read that word, but if we place that word in a full sentence in a specific context, you will comprehend it thoroughly and memorize it quickly.  
  • Linda rubbed the blackboard clean for her teacher.
  • The math lecturer illustrated her point with a diagram on the blackboard.
  • Practice regularly: Regular practice is essential. Only by learning and doing more do we truly gain knowledge and remember things longer. How should we practice?
    • Besides practicing reading to learn correct pronunciation, you can also try writing short paragraphs using those vocabulary words. This helps improve writing skills and enhances our memory of the practiced vocabulary.
    • It is critical for memorizing vocabulary to practice speaking on your own or with partners about a theme that includes school supplies in English. If you don't have a partner, you can speak on your own and record it, then listen to the recording to detect and correct any problems. It is preferable if you have a partner with whom you can correct each other's blunders, broaden the theme, and use newly learned vocabulary.

III. Exercises on school supplies vocabulary with detailed answers

1. Exercises

Exercise 1: Match the following school supplies vocabulary with the corresponding images

School supplies vocabulary

Image

1. Bookcase

2. Watercolor

3. Pencil

4. Scissors

5. Ruler

Exercise 2: Make a sentence for each of the school supplies vocabulary in the list below

  1. Textbook
  2. Pencil case
  3. Pencil
  4. Clock
  5. Highlighter
  6. Glue
  7. Colored Pencil
  8. Chalk
  9. Blackboard
  10. Notebook

2. Answer keys

Exercise 1:

  1. C
  2. D
  3. B
  4. E
  5. A

Exercise 2:

  1. Textbook. Example: I need to buy a new textbook for my chemistry class.
  2. Pencil case. Example: I forgot my pencil case at home and now I can't find my pens.
  3. Pencil. Example: I prefer to write with a pencil rather than a pen because I can easily erase my mistakes.
  4. Clock. Example: I always set my alarm clock for 6 am so I can wake up in time for work.
  5. Highlighter. Example: I use a yellow highlighter to mark important information in my textbook.
  6. Glue. Example: I need to use glue to fix the broken vase.
  7. Colored pencil. Example: My favorite colored pencil is blue because it reminds me of the ocean.
  8. Chalk. Example: The teacher used a piece of chalk to write on the blackboard.
  9. Blackboard. Example: The professor wrote equations on the blackboard during the lecture.
  10. Notebook. Example: I have bought 5 new notebooks.

IV. Take the First Step Towards IELTS Success 

Here is a list of over 150 most common school supplies vocabulary. If you’re ready to boost your IELTS band score, check out our expert-led courses:

Master Tu Pham
Master Tu Pham
Founder/CEO at Prep
Founder of Prep Smart Test Preparation Platform. With over 10 years of experience in teaching and test preparation, Mr. Tú has helped thousands of students achieve high scores in the IELTS exam. In addition, Mr. Tú Phạm is also a consulting expert in British Council programs and a speaker at many leading educational events, programs, and conferences.
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