lecture hall

Meaning

A large room with tiered seating designed for teaching high numbers of students, typically found at universities and colleges. These halls often feature a stage or podium at the front for the instructor alongside audio-visual equipment.

Examples

• The introductory psychology class is held in the main lecture hall because over three hundred students registered.

  The introductory psychology class is held in the main lecture hall because over three hundred students registered.

• I had to sit in the very back row of the lecture hall, and it was hard to see the slides.

  I had to sit in the very back row of the lecture hall, and it was hard to see the slides.

• The university is upgrading the sound system in the old science lecture hall this summer.

  The university is upgrading the sound system in the old science lecture hall this summer.

• She ran across campus to make sure she got a seat near the front of the lecture hall.

  She ran across campus to make sure she got a seat near the front of the lecture hall.

• The guest speaker walked onto the stage of the packed lecture hall to loud applause.

  The guest speaker walked onto the stage of the packed lecture hall to loud applause.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ We have our math class in a big lecture cabinet.

  ✓ We have our math class in a big lecture hall.

  'Cabinet' is a false friend in several languages (meaning office or classroom). In English, the large, stadium-style classrooms are always called 'lecture halls' or 'lecture theatres'.

• ✗ The professor spoke to a crowded lecture salon.

  ✓ The professor spoke to a crowded lecture hall.

  'Salon' is not used to describe university classrooms. Use 'lecture hall' to sound natural.

Related Expressions

Practice

• The introductory biology course is so popular that it meets in the campus's largest ___.

  💡 A very large room with many seats arranged in rows rising towards the back.

  Show answer

  lecture hall

• I could not hear the professor because the acoustics in this old ___ are terrible.

  💡 A big room where university students listen to presentations.

  Show answer

  lecture hall