Here are some of the more common school subjects in English. We give the word, part of speech, definition and example sentence.
school subject (noun): A particular subject or topic that a school teaches to students, for example: English, History, Maths. Sometimes just called “subject”. — How many school subjects does your school offer? | What subject do you have next?
Note that school subjects may or may not be capitalized. For example, in informal contexts we may write history, maths, geography; while in more formal contexts we may write History, Maths, Geography. In the example sentences on this page you will see both styles used.
Accounting (noun): A subject which teaches students to understand the flow of money in and out of businesses. – Many of the skills I learned in accounting have helped me manage money better in my own life.
Algebra (noun): A branch of mathematics that uses letters to show numbers. – I find algebra much harder than other types of mathematics.
Art (noun): Creative study such as painting, sculpture, and drawing. – Yesterday in art class, we painted pictures of fruit.
Biology (noun): A branch of science that focuses on the study of life and organisms. – Today in biology, we watched a film about plant life.
Business studies (noun): A subject that deals with economics, management, and business. – I’m taking business studies this year, as I’m interested in learning how companies operate.
Calculus (noun): A branch of mathematics that focuses on the rates of change. – I find calculus harder than geometry.
Chemistry (noun): A branch of science which deals with the study of substances and their properties. – We did an interesting experiment in chemistry class.
Computer science (noun): The study of computers and their systems. – In computer science yesterday, we learned how to cut and paste photos.
Design and Technology (noun): A school subject which involves creating technological products and problem solving. – Class Memo: All students need to hand in their Design and Technology project by Friday.
Drama (noun): A creative school subject that focuses on performance skills. – We are rehearsing for a play in drama class.
Economics (noun): A school subject that focuses on the way in which goods, services, and money are used and produced. – I find Economics fascinating because I’m interested in starting my own business one day.
English Language (noun): The study of the correct usage of the English language as a means of communication (often contrasted with English Literature). – We had to write an essay in English Language today.
English Literature (noun): The study of English history and culture through the three main forms of texts in the English language: novels, plays and poetry. – This term we are analyzing Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet in English Literature.
French – or any modern language (noun): The study of the French language (or Spanish, Russian, Chinese languages etc). – I’m studying French at school next year.
Geography (noun): A subject in which students learn about countries, oceans, populations, and other world features. – In geography today, we drew maps of different Asian countries.
Geometry (noun): A branch of mathematics focusing on shapes and their properties. – We are learning about triangles in geometry.
Graphic design (noun): A subject which focuses on creating visual content (books, advertisements, etc.) to communicate messages. – Our next art and design project is to design a magazine cover.
Information Technology (I.T.) (noun): A subject which teaches students how to use computers in their daily lives. – Our I.T. lessons are helpful, as they’ve shown me how to do many things with my computer that I never thought were possible.
History (noun): A subject which focuses on things that happened or existed in the past. – School Announcement: Note that all History classes will be cancelled tomorrow.
Home Economics (noun): A subject which focuses on cooking, sewing, and other skills that are needed in the home. – Today in home economics, we learned how to bake a cake.
Humanities (noun): A broad term that refers to subjects like history, languages, and literature that focus on things used, done, or created by humans rather than science and mathematics. – I find the humanities interesting because I am interested in people.
Literature (noun): A subject which focuses on books, plays, and poems that are thought to be of importance. – We are studying Shakespeare in literature this week.
Mathematics (noun): The science of shapes and numbers. – There are different branches of mathematics such as geometry, algebra, and calculus. – I enjoy mathematics because I like solving problems with numbers.
Music (noun): A subject which focuses on singing, sounds and the playing of musical instruments. – Today in music, we practised for the school concert.
Political Science – A subject where students learn about systems of government and analyse political activity and behaviour. – We are studying communist governments in political science right now.
Philosophy (noun): A subject in which students study ideas about life, reality, and human existence. – In philosophy yesterday, we had an interesting discussion about existence.
Physical Education (noun): A subject in which students practice sport and physical exercise. – I enjoy physical education, especially when we play team sports.
Physics (noun): A branch of science that focuses on natural forces such as movement, sound, and light. – Our physics teacher is giving us a test on light next week.
Psychology (noun): A subject which focuses on the way in which peoples’ minds work. – I’m taking psychology this term because I’m fascinated by the human mind.
Religious Education (noun): A subject in which students learn about the world’s different religions. – In Religious Education, we are currently learning about different types of Christianity.
Science (noun): A subject which focuses on discovering and describing the world and its phenomena through experimentation and observation. There are three main branches of science: biology, chemistry, and physics, which may, in some cases, be studied as individual subjects. – I enjoy science because I like doing experiments.
Sociology (noun): A subject in which students learn about society and the way people interact with each other. – In sociology yesterday, we studied the effects of education on human behaviour.