Classic examples and classical arts

The idea

Classic describes a typical or enduring example; classical often refers to traditional arts or ancient Greek and Roman culture.

Examples

• That novel is a classic example of a mystery.
• My uncle restored a classic car from the 1960s.
• The chef gave the classic soup a spicy twist.
• Mina studies classical music at the conservatory.
• The museum displays classical Greek sculptures.
• The dancer trained in classical ballet for years.

Watch out

A great piece of music can be a classic, but the genre is called classical music.

Try it yourself

1. Choose the correct word. For the concert, the pianist chose a ___ sonata by Mozart. (classic / classical)

   Show answer or example answer

   classical

   classical: Mozart’s sonata belongs to a musical tradition.

2. Choose the correct word. Leaving the tickets at home was a ___ mistake. (classic / classical)

   Show answer or example answer

   classic

   classic: Forgetting tickets is a typical mistake.

3. Choose the correct word. The library owns a ___ car that appeared in a famous film. (classic / classical)

   Show answer or example answer

   classic

   classic: The car is a valued older model.

Use it today

Choose the adjective that fits each context.