study hard

Meaning

This phrase means to put a lot of effort, time, and focus into learning or preparing for academic tasks. It is an encouraging or descriptive phrase used by parents, teachers, and students to highlight dedication to schoolwork.

Examples

• If you study hard, you will get excellent grades.

  If you study hard, you will get excellent grades.

• She had to study hard all weekend for the biology test.

  She had to study hard all weekend for the biology test.

• My parents always told me to study hard and do my best.

  My parents always told me to study hard and do my best.

• He is studying hard to pass his university entrance exams.

  He is studying hard to pass his university entrance exams.

• Even though they studied hard, the exam was still very difficult.

  Even though they studied hard, the exam was still very difficult.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ She needs to study hardly to pass the class.

  ✓ She needs to study hard to pass the class.

  'Hardly' is an adverb that means 'almost not'. To mean 'with great effort', you must use the adverb 'hard'.

• ✗ I must study heavy for my finals.

  ✓ I must study hard for my finals.

  While you can have a 'heavy workload', the verb 'study' is collocated with 'hard' when talking about putting in effort.

Related Expressions

Practice

• You need to ___ if you want to get into a good college.

  💡 Put a lot of effort into your learning.

  Show answer

  study hard

• They did not ___ last semester, which is why their grades dropped.

  💡 Put in academic effort.

  Show answer

  study hard