earn education

USAGE SUMMARY

'earn education' is not a correct and usable sentence in written English.
Education is not something that can be earned. You can talk about earning a degree or earning a certificate, but not just earning education in general. For example, you could say: "He worked hard to earn his college degree."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Governor Andrew Cuomo championed juvenile justice reforms with the Close to Home Initiative which acknowledges that youths are best served in their communities where they can earn education credits and stay connected to their families instead of being isolated in facilities many hours away.

Huffington Post

Without a nationality, stateless children can be denied access to basic social protection programmes, cannot earn education certificates or graduate, or obtain an identity card or a passport.

Unicef

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

In a society that measures success by how much money a recent college graduate earns, education should not be measured solely in short-term economic terms.

The New York Times

A landmark Colorado law that ties teacher evaluations to the progress of their students on achievement tests could help build momentum for a national movement that seeks to overhaul how instructors' tenure and pay is earned, education leaders say.

Los Angeles Times

A higher percent of women veterans earn higher education degrees and are enrolled in higher education compared to male veterans and female civilian counterparts.

HuffPost

In continuing education programs, professionals read health information, rate it using the IAM, and earn continuing education credit for this brief individual reflective learning activity.

BMC Medical Education

Teachers will earn continuing education credits through the course.

Columbia University

We should stop denying them the chance to earn an education or serve in the military.

The New York Times

We also offer opportunities for licensed social workers to earn continuing education credits.

Columbia University

At the same time, many expect to be given – when perhaps before they hoped to earn – some education in return.

The Guardian

(Applause). We should stop denying them the chance to earn an education or serve in the military.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Instead of saying "earn education", focus on the specific achievement, such as "earn a degree", "earn a certificate", or "complete a course".

Common error

Avoid using "earn" as a direct modifier of "education". "Earn" typically refers to gaining something through effort or merit. With education, it's more accurate to describe the specific accomplishment, like earning a degree or earning credits.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "earn education" is grammatically incorrect in standard English. While Ludwig identifies some instances of its usage, they are infrequent and do not align with established grammatical norms. Education, as a concept, is not something that can be directly 'earned' in the same way as a degree or credits.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Science

34%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "earn education" might appear in some contexts, Ludwig AI identifies it as grammatically incorrect. Education, as a broad concept, is not typically something you 'earn' directly. Instead, focus on the specific achievements within education, such as "earning a degree" or "earning credits". For general references to acquiring knowledge, use alternatives like "pursue an education", "obtain an education", or "receive an education" to ensure grammatical correctness and clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

obtain an education

Highlights the successful completion and receiving of an education.

receive an education

Emphasizes being given or granted educational opportunities.

get an education

A more informal way of saying obtain an education.

pursue an education

Focuses on the active process of seeking and following an educational path.

acquire knowledge

Shifts the focus to gaining knowledge, a key component of education.

further your studies

Focuses on the continuation and advancement of one's education.

achieve academic success

Highlights the successful outcomes of educational efforts.

attain qualifications

Emphasizes reaching a certain standard of education.

complete a degree

Focuses on the attainment of a specific academic qualification.

gain skills

Highlights the practical benefits and abilities gained through education.

FAQs

What is a grammatically correct alternative to "earn education"?

Instead of "earn education", you can say "pursue an education", "obtain an education", or "receive an education", depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "earn a degree" or "earn an education"?

"Earn a degree" is correct because it refers to a specific qualification. "Earn an education" is less precise; it's better to use verbs like "pursue", "obtain", or "receive" when talking about education in general.

How can I use the word "earn" in a sentence about education?

You can say, "Students work hard to "earn credits"" or "She studied diligently to "earn her degree"". Focus on the specific outcome achieved through effort.

What's the difference between "earn a degree" and "gain knowledge" in the context of education?

"Earn a degree" refers to the formal qualification received upon completing a course of study. "Gain knowledge" refers to the process of learning and understanding information, which is a broader aspect of education. You "earn a degree" as a result of gaining knowledge.