report card: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1 (Intermediate)Neutral (common in both formal educational contexts and informal conversation about school)
Quick answer
What does “report card” mean?
A document issued by an educational institution to record a student's academic performance and sometimes behavior over a specific period.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A document issued by an educational institution to record a student's academic performance and sometimes behavior over a specific period.
Any formal evaluation or summary of performance, often used metaphorically in non-academic contexts (e.g., business, politics).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is common in both varieties, but in the UK, 'school report' or simply 'report' are equally, if not more, common. The structure and grading systems detailed on the card differ.
Connotations
In the US, 'report card' is the standard, iconic term strongly associated with parental review. In the UK, 'report card' may sound slightly more administrative, while 'school report' is the traditional term.
Frequency
'Report card' is high-frequency in AmE. In BrE, 'school report' is more frequent, though 'report card' is well understood.
Grammar
How to Use “report card” in a Sentence
The teacher gave (object: the student) a report card.The parents looked at (object: the report card).Her report card was full of (object: A grades/comments).Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “report card” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The school will report the pupils' progress at the end of term.
American English
- The district reports student grades on a new digital platform.
adjective
British English
- The report-card comments were very detailed this year.
American English
- She had a report-card meeting with the teacher.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used metaphorically: 'The company's quarterly financials are its report card to investors.'
Academic
Primary context: the official document recording student grades and teacher comments.
Everyday
Discussions between parents/guardians and children about school performance.
Technical
Less common; specific systems may use 'student performance record' or 'grading sheet'.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “report card”
Strong
Neutral
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “report card”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “report card”
- Using 'report card' to refer to a single test result (e.g., 'I got my maths test report card').
- Confusing 'report card' (periodic summary) with 'transcript' (complete historical record).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Primarily yes, but it is commonly used metaphorically to evaluate any entity's performance (e.g., a politician's first year in office).
A report card is a periodic summary (e.g., per term/semester). A transcript is the official, complete academic record covering all years, usually needed for university applications.
Not commonly. The related verb is 'to report' (as in reporting grades). The noun compound is fixed.
It varies by school, but typically at the end of a grading period: quarterly, per term, or semesterly.
A document issued by an educational institution to record a student's academic performance and sometimes behavior over a specific period.
Report card is usually neutral (common in both formal educational contexts and informal conversation about school) in register.
Report card: in British English it is pronounced /rɪˈpɔːt ˌkɑːd/, and in American English it is pronounced /rɪˈpɔːrt ˌkɑːrd/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “to give someone/something a report card (to evaluate informally)”
- “a mixed report card (results with both good and bad aspects)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a CARD you REPORT your grades on. It's the card that reports your progress.
Conceptual Metaphor
EDUCATION IS ACCOUNTING (grades are sums, reports are statements); LIFE IS SCHOOL (performance in any area can be 'graded').
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the term 'report card' used metaphorically?