Vocabulary - Teacher, Professor, or Tutor?

Study the vocabulary list and complete the activities below.

The words teacher, professor, and tutor can be very confusing. In Portuguese, we often use just one word for all of them, but in English, they have different meanings depending on where the person works and how many students they have. Let's learn!

• 1. Teacher
  A person whose job is to teach in a school (usually elementary, middle, or high school).
  • My English teacher is very friendly and helps me a lot in class.
  • She wants to be a history teacher at the local school.
• 2. Professor
  A teacher of the highest rank at a university or college. They teach adults in higher education.
  • The university professor gave a lecture on biology today.
  • Professor Smith is my favorite teacher in college.
• 3. Tutor
  A person who teaches one student or a very small group, usually outside of regular school classes (like a private teacher).
  • I have a math tutor who helps me with my homework on weekends.
  • He works as a private tutor for students who need extra help after school.

ACTIVITIES

Activity 1: Gap Fill

Complete the sentences using teacher, professor, or tutor.

1. My sister goes to university, and her favorite is Mr. Davis.

2. Our school needs a new science for the 7th-grade students.

3. I don't understand French, so my parents hired a private for me.

4. The wrote the homework on the board for the whole class.

5. In college, the asked the students to read a very long book.

Activity 2: True or False

Read the statements below and decide if they are True or False.

1. A professor usually works with young children in an elementary school.

2. A tutor usually helps just one student or a very small group.

3. A teacher works at a middle school or high school.

4. If you need extra help with math at your house, you call a professor.

5. University and college classes are taught by professors.

Activity 3: Reading Comprehension

Read the short dialogue below and answer the 3 questions.

Anna: Hey, Mark! How is your new school?
Mark: It's great! My math teacher is excellent. But I still need some help with English.
Anna: Really? I have a great English tutor. She comes to my house every Saturday.
Mark: That sounds perfect! I want to study at a good university in the future, so I need to improve.
Anna: Me too! I want to be a professor and teach history at a big college one day!

1. Who helps Mark with math at his school?

2. Who helps Anna with English at her house?

3. What is Anna's dream job for the future?