Question

【題目】Study or Learn?

English language learners use the verbs “study” and “l(fā)earn” all the time. Yet, they often are unsure which to choose in a situation. Our subject today comes from Salah of Yemen. The writer asks:

Question:

I would like to know the difference between “study” and “l(fā)earn.” Thanks!

– Salah, Yemen

Answer:

Hello, Salah, and thanks for your note!

Let’s begin with the dictionary meaning of each word. These are from the Merriam-Webster Learner’s Dictionary:

To study means to read, memorize facts or attend school in order to learn about a subject.

To learn means to gain knowledge or skill by studying, practicing, being taught or experiencing something.

So, studying is just one way of learning. But it is not the only way.

Learn

Sometimes, we learn through experience. For example, if you travel to Thailand, you can visit a lot of sights, try the traditional foods and talk to the local people. By the time you leave, you will have gained a lot of knowledge about the country. So, you can say, “I learned so much about Thailand!”

You could not say, “I studied so much about Thailand!” because your actions did not mainly involve reading, memorizing facts, taking a course, attending school or something similar.

Study

In addition, when you study something, you have not learned it yet.

And, sometimes, you can even study something without learning it. For example, if you say, “I studied English,” it may mean you took English classes. Or maybe you tried to teach yourself through an app or language website.

But maybe you had difficulty with this and still do not know how to speak the language. In that situation, you could not say, “I learned English,” because that would mean you had gained enough knowledge to use it.

Examples

If the difference between “l(fā)earn” and “study” is not clear yet, here are a few sentences that compare them:

They learned how to write stories in the new writing class.

They spent time studying the techniques of story-writing.

Where did you learn how to bake so well?

Did you study baking in school?

And one last tip for remembering the difference is this expression: “I studied but I did not learn anything.”

And that’s Ask a Teacher. I’m Alice Bryant.

【1】Who are often unsure of how to choose “study” or “l(fā)earn” in a situation?

【2】What does study mean from the Merriam-Webster Learner’s Dictionary?

【3】When can you say “I learned so much about Thailand”?

【4】What do you mean by saying “I studied English”?

【5】Which expression can help to remember the difference between “study” and “l(fā)earn”?

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】English language learners.

【2】It means to read, memorize facts or attend school in order to learn about a subject.

【3】When you have gained a lot of knowledge about the country.

【4】It may mean you took English classes. Or maybe you tried to teach yourself through an app or language website.

【5】I studied but I did not learn anything.

【解析】

本文是一篇說明文，通過一個問答節(jié)目的教師回答，解釋了英語中兩個相近動詞study和learn之間的區(qū)別。

【1】根據(jù)“English language learners use the verbs “study” and “l(fā)earn” all the time. Yet, they often are unsure which to choose in a situation”，可知是英語語言學習者不確定，故答案為English language learners.

【2】根據(jù)“To study means to read, memorize facts or attend school in order to learn about a subject”可知study的含義，故答案為It means to read, memorize facts or attend school in order to learn about a subject.

【3】根據(jù)“By the time you leave, you will have gained a lot of knowledge about the country. So, you can say, “I learned so much about Thailand!””，可知是當你獲得了許多關(guān)于這個國家的知識時可以這么說，故答案為When you have gained a lot of knowledge about the country.

【4】根據(jù)“For example, if you say, “I studied English,” it may mean you took English classes. Or maybe you tried to teach yourself through an app or language website”，可知這意味著你上了英語課，或者是你通過軟件或網(wǎng)站自學了英語，故答案為It may mean you took English classes. Or maybe you tried to teach yourself through an app or language website.

【5】根據(jù)“And one last tip for remembering the difference is this expression: “I studied but I did not learn anything.””，可知這個表述可以很好地區(qū)分study和learn，故答案為I studied but I did not learn anything.