revision
B2Formal, Neutral, Educational
Definition
Meaning
The act or process of revising something; re-examination and correction or improvement.
1. A revised version or form of something. 2. (chiefly British) The process of studying work done previously, especially to prepare for an examination.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a noun. The meaning related to studying is more common in British English. The verb is 'revise'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In BrE, 'revision' commonly means studying for exams. In AmE, this sense is less common, with 'review' or 'studying' often preferred. 'Revision' in AmE typically refers to editing a text or document.
Connotations
In BrE academic contexts, 'revision' is neutral/standard. In AmE, it can sound formal or specifically related to document editing.
Frequency
Much higher frequency in BrE due to the common educational usage.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
do revisionmake a revision (to)be under revisionrequire revisionneed revisionVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “revision in the light of experience”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to updating figures, forecasts, plans, or contracts.
Academic
Refers to studying for exams (BrE) or amending a paper/thesis.
Everyday
Refers to checking or changing plans, or studying.
Technical
Refers to updating software, manuals, or specifications.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- I need to revise for my history exam.
- She's revising her notes in the library.
American English
- We must revise the budget projections.
- He revised the manuscript three times.
adjective
British English
- She attended a revision workshop.
- The revision timetable was very strict.
American English
- The revision process was lengthy.
- Please send the revision notes to the team.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I do revision every evening.
- This is the first revision of my drawing.
- The contract needs some minor revision before signing.
- She spent the weekend doing revision for her maths test.
- After peer feedback, the third chapter required substantial revision.
- Effective revision involves active recall, not just re-reading notes.
- The treaty is currently under revision to address contemporary security challenges.
- His revisionist interpretation of the historical events sparked considerable academic debate.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a VISION you see again (RE-). A revision is seeing your work again to improve it.
Conceptual Metaphor
POLISHING A GEM (improving through careful re-examination), RECHARTING A COURSE (changing direction after review).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid directly translating 'ревизия' (audit/inspection) for the studying sense.
- For studying, Russian 'повторение' is closer, but 'revision' implies active re-working, not passive repetition.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'revision' as a verb (the verb is 'revise').
- Saying 'I will make a revision of my essay' (better: 'I will revise my essay').
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'revision' MOST likely to be used in British English?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Both. As a process, it's usually uncountable ('do revision'). A specific changed version is countable ('the third revision of the document').
'Review' is broader and can mean simply looking over something. 'Revision' implies making changes or improvements based on that review, especially in writing or studying.
Not typically. Use 'I am revising' or 'I am doing revision' (BrE). For a document, say 'It is under revision'.
No. While common for texts, it applies to any plan, idea, or piece of work (e.g., revision of tactics, revision of estimates).
Collections
Part of a collection
Education
A2 · 50 words · School, studying and learning vocabulary.
Academic Vocabulary
C1 · 36 words · Formal academic language used in scholarly writing.
Critical Thinking
C1 · 49 words · Vocabulary for structured logical reasoning and analysis.
Formal Debate Language
C2 · 48 words · Language for structured academic and political debate.
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