English for Mechanical

Engineering

Classification
 Classification
 One way to identify objects is by classifying them according to
types or categories.
 The term classifying means arranging objects in classes or
groups according to shared characteristics. For example,
the class of ‘metals’ includes ferrous metals and non-ferrous
metals and each of these subgroups is also a class in its own
right, having shared characteristics.

 Classifying is a process of bringing order to confusion by

organizing information in a logical fashion.
 Elements in a classification model
 Usually, a classification model consists of the following
elements:
Exercise
 Read the following paragraph and underline the different
elements of the classification model:
Language used in classifications: the
feature
Types of Classifications
From general to specific:
from the whole class
to a member of the class

From specific to general:

from a member of the class
to the whole class
 From general to specific
 Focusing on the large or high-level category and talking about
its parts, that is from the whole class to a member of the class.
 From general to specific, the following expressions can be used:
From general to specific
GROUPED

is/ are CLASSIFIED two groups

Metal/s may be DIVIDED INTO four types

can be ARRANGED some classes

could be SPLIT different categories

CATEGORIZED
 From general to specific

is/ are CLASSIFIED ferrous

Metal/s may be CLASSED AS

can be GROUPED non-

ferrous
could be
From general to specific

CONSISTS OF

IS MADE UP OF

Brass IS COMPOSED OF copper and zinc

COMPRISES

INCLUDES
 From specific to general
What the smaller or lower-level components make when they
are put together, i.e. from a member of the class to the whole
class. This kind of classification uses the following expressions:

PART

TYPE

Brass is/ are a/ an EXAMPLE OF alloy

KIND

COMPONENT
From specific to general

MAKE UP

Ferrite and CONSTITUTE mild steel

carbon
FORM
 EXERCISE
 Read these sentences and identify all classifying patterns. Then
put them in the correct column.
 - There are two classes of personal computers: (a) desktop PCs and (b)
portable PCs.
 - A computer system consists of two parts: hardware and software
 - The basic structure of a PC is made up of three hardware sections: the
CPU, the main memory and the peripherals.
 - The Control Unit, the ALU and the registers make up the CPU of a
computer.
 - The RAM and ROM constitute the main memory.
 - A DVD is a type of disk.
 -A hub is a component of a computer network.

 From general to specific From specific to general