as a whole class

USAGE SUMMARY

"as a whole class" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to an entire group, usually a class in a school setting, such as: The teacher discussed the writing assignment with the students as a whole class.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

19 human-written examples

Then, as a whole class, hear observations and conclusions from each group.

The New York Times

Then, have students choose one experience each from their timelines and describe it briefly in small groups or as a whole class.

The New York Times

The Department for Education said that Gibb "wants to encourage more secondary schools to read together as a whole class, ensuring all pupils leave school well read and with an appreciation of a wide range of authors, genres and texts".

The Guardian - Books

You might choose to give pairs a brief amount of time to present their findings at the conference, and then spend additional time as a whole class trying to agree on an action plan.

The New York Times

Then, explain to students that they will first meet as partners or in small groups to discuss what they have read and heard; then, during this class period or another one, they will participate as a whole class in a "fishbowl" discussion.

The New York Times

Then — in pairs, in groups or as a whole class — write, discuss or create using the questions below: If you'd done this exercise over the last week, you would have found, among other pieces… The Honor Betrayed series, about sexual trauma in the military, including "Attacked at 19 by an Air Force Trainer, and Speaking Out," and "Trauma Sets Female Veterans Adrift Back Home".

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

41 human-written examples

It is suitable for individual use, but would be ideal for use with a whole class as an introduction to the topic, or with a group that has not yet succeeded with the subject after conventional attempts to master it.

The Guardian

In this sense, the press is not so much an actual antagonist as a stand-in for a whole class, perhaps a whole stateful, of people who, Pharisee-like, continue to resist his message.

The New Yorker

The structure of maths lessons will probably mean ICT will be best used as a whole-class teaching or demonstration tool or within a teacher-directed group activity.

The Guardian

The participants completed their explanations as a whole-class activity.

Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications

On the first day, participants completed the MRT as a whole-class activity.

Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "as a whole class" to describe activities or discussions where all students participate together, fostering a sense of community and shared learning.

Common error

Avoid using "as a class" when you specifically mean to involve everyone. "As a class" can sometimes imply a representative group, while "as a whole class" clearly means the entire group.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "as a whole class" functions as a prepositional phrase, modifying a verb or noun to indicate the manner in which an action is performed or a discussion is conducted. Ludwig confirms its correct usage and provides examples of it.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

32%

Science

32%

Formal & Business

6%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Wiki

4%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "as a whole class" is a grammatically sound and commonly used prepositional phrase, primarily used to describe activities that involve all students in a classroom. Ludwig confirms its correct usage. It's best suited for neutral contexts, though its application extends to formal academic and less formal everyday discussions. While it's often interchangeable with phrases like "as an entire class", "as a whole class" specifically emphasizes the participation of the entire class group. Be mindful not to confuse it with "as a class", which can imply a smaller, representative group.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

as an entire class

Replaces 'whole' with 'entire', emphasizing the completeness of the group.

with the entire class

Shifts the focus to 'with', highlighting the inclusion of all class members.

with the complete class

Uses 'complete' instead of 'whole' or 'entire', stressing the fullness of the class.

collectively as a class

Adds 'collectively' to emphasize the group action or decision.

in a class-wide setting

Replaces the prepositional phrase with an adjective and noun, specifying the setting.

as a unified class

Emphasizes the unity and agreement within the class.

in a whole-class discussion

Specifies the activity as a discussion involving the entire class.

with the class as one

Highlights the class functioning as a single unit.

in plenary session

A more formal term for a whole group session or discussion.

as a single group

Simplifies the phrase to focus on the group dynamic, removing the specific 'class' context.

FAQs

How can I use "as a whole class" in a sentence?

You can use "as a whole class" to describe activities where everyone participates, like, "The teacher reviewed the material "as a whole class" before the test".

What's a synonym for "as a whole class"?

Alternatives include "as an entire class", "with the entire class", or "collectively as a class", depending on the specific context.

Is it better to say "as a whole class" or "as a class"?

"As a whole class" is more specific and implies that the entire class is involved. "As a class" can be more ambiguous, sometimes implying a representative group rather than the entirety.

Can "as a whole class" be used in formal writing?

Yes, "as a whole class" is suitable for formal writing, especially in educational or academic contexts. However, consider alternatives like "in plenary session" for a more formal tone.