school year — academic year
collocationB1IELTS 5+neutralcommon
The period of time, usually about nine or ten months, when students attend school, starting in one part of the year and ending in another.
Say it like a native
Textbook The academic year is comprised of three distinct terms.
Native The school year has three terms.
'School year' is plain; 'academic year is comprised of' is formal.
Pattern: the school year; start/begin/end the school year; during/throughout the school year
In use
- The new school year starts next week, and I'm excited to see my friends again.education
- In my country, the school year usually begins in September and finishes in June, with a long holiday in the summer.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ The school year starts in the September.
✓ The school year starts in September.
No 'the' before a month.
Common collocations
school year + context— the school year, next school year, start of the year, academic year
Don't confuse it
Not the same as 'school day' (a single day at school) or 'school term' (a part of the school year).