a classmate of ours

USAGE SUMMARY

"a classmate of ours" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It can be used when referring to someone who is a fellow student in a particular class or group. For example, "My best friend is a classmate of ours from English 101."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

E turns to a classmate of ours, asks if she knows that I'm gay.

Huffington Post

A classmate of ours had a newer Chevrolet, a sedan, and we modified it the same way, then drove around Kansas City for a couple of hours shooting bottle rockets at each other and trying to throw firecrackers and smoke bombs into the other car's open front-seat windows.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

For about an hour, we made small talk with the nurses, who guessed at the baby's weight, and with the surgeon, who happened to be a college classmate of ours.

The New Yorker

Mr. Anichin was a classmate of Mr. Putin's.

The New York Times

Lessin was a classmate of Zuckerberg's at Harvard.

The New Yorker

He's a classmate of Dewey's at Columbia Law School.

The New Yorker

Paul, a classmate of Adolf Hitler, became an outstanding concert pianist.

The Guardian - Books

Caro was a classmate of mine at Princeton.

The New York Times - Magazine

His father, a classmate of Franklin Delano Roosevelt at the Groton School, was a Wall Street stockbroker.

The New York Times - Arts

Kota Iwai, 14, was a classmate of one of the girls who was killed.

The New York Times

Afterward, I ran into someone who'd been a classmate of mine when I was eleven.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a classmate of ours" to refer to someone who shares the same class or educational experience as you and the person you're speaking to. This implies a shared history or connection.

Common error

Ensure you're using "a classmate of ours" when referring to someone who is a classmate of both you and the person you're addressing. If it's just a classmate of the other person, use "a classmate of theirs."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a classmate of ours" functions as a determiner within a noun phrase, specifically indicating a shared association with a particular person who attended the same class. It specifies a relationship between the speaker, the listener, and the classmate.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

66%

Huffington Post

16%

The New Yorker

16%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a classmate of ours" is a phrase used to refer to someone who attended the same class as both the speaker and the listener. Ludwig AI indicates that it's grammatically correct and functions as a determiner within a noun phrase, establishing a shared connection. Although the frequency is rare in the analyzed data, it is used across various news sources. When using this phrase, be sure to use "ours" when referring to someone who is a classmate of both you and the person you're addressing. Alternatives include "a fellow student of ours" or "a member of our class".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a fellow student of ours

Replaces 'classmate' with 'fellow student' emphasizing the shared student status.

a student in our class

Simplifies the phrase by directly stating the shared class.

a peer from our class

Uses 'peer' to emphasize a sense of equality and shared status.

one of our schoolmates

Replaces 'classmate' with 'schoolmate' broadening the context to the entire school.

someone who attended class with us

Expands the phrase to describe the act of attending class together.

a member of our graduating class

Specifies the shared experience as being part of the same graduating class.

a co-learner in our program

Emphasizes a shared learning program rather than just a class.

a contemporary from our studies

More formal; 'contemporary' emphasizes shared time period of study.

someone from our school

Very broad, refers to anyone who attended the same school.

an acquaintance from school

Introduces a weaker level of connection, implying less familiarity.

FAQs

How can I use "a classmate of ours" in a sentence?

You might say, "Do you remember Sarah? She was "a classmate of ours" in history class." It indicates Sarah attended the same history class as both you and the person you're talking to.

What's a more formal way to say "a classmate of ours"?

While "a classmate of ours" is generally acceptable, a more formal alternative could be "a fellow student of ours" or "a member of our class" particularly in academic or professional settings.

Is it correct to say "a classmate of we" instead of "a classmate of ours"?

No, "a classmate of we" is grammatically incorrect. The correct possessive pronoun to use is "ours", making the phrase ""a classmate of ours"".

What's the difference between "a classmate of ours" and "a classmate of mine"?

"A classmate of mine" refers to someone who is a classmate of only the speaker. "A classmate of ours" indicates someone who is a classmate of both the speaker and the person being addressed.