You're sitting in that dusty classroom. Mr. Galloway is likely nursing a "cough medicine" hangover, the clock is ticking, and the chalkboard is staring you down with seven random letters that make absolutely no sense. If you’ve played Rockstar’s Bully (or the Scholarship Edition), you know that English 5 is the final boss of the academic world. It’s not about fighting Preppies or dodging the prefects. It’s about your vocabulary.
Honestly, it’s a bit of a jump. English 1 through 4 felt manageable. You find a few three-letter words, snag a four-letter one, and you're golden. But English 5? It demands a 70% passing grade. You need to find roughly 24 words from the letters G, R, A, D, E, S, S.
What’s Actually Happening in English 5?
The goal is simple: create as many words as possible using the provided letters before the timer hits zero. In the Scholarship Edition and the Anniversary Edition, the mechanics remain the same as the original 2006 PS2 release, though the textures are a bit sharper and the disappointment of failing feels more high-def. Passing this class is the final step to earning the Graduation Hat and the ability to apologize to some of the meanest NPCs in the game more effectively.
Most players get stuck because they try to find the "big" word first. In English 5, the big word is DRESSAGE. Yeah, it's a niche horse-training term. Unless you’re a fan of equestrian sports, you probably wouldn't guess that in a million years while a timer is sweating you.
Every Single Word You Can Use
You don't need all of these to pass, but you need enough to hit that 70% mark. I've broken these down by length because that's how your brain naturally scans the board.
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The Three-Letter Basics
Start here to build momentum. You can use: Age, Are, Dag, Gas, Rag, Red, Sad, Sag, Sea, and Res. These are the "junk" words that fill up your progress bar quickly. Don't spend too much time thinking about them; just fire them off.
The Four-Letter Grind
This is where you actually start making progress toward the passing grade. Look for: Ages, Bare (wait, no 'B'—scratch that), Dags, Dare, Dear, Dear, Digs (no 'I'), Drag, Dreg, Ears, Eras, Gads, Gaed, Gear, Grad, Rads, Rage, Read, Reds, Sags, Sear, and Sera.
Five and Six Letters
This is the "make or break" zone. If you can land a few of these, you're basically done. Words like Dares, Dears, Degas, Drags, Dregs, Erase, Gears, Grads, Grass, Rages, Reads, Sades, and Sager will carry you. If you're feeling fancy, look for Gasser, Grades, and Regass.
The Seven and Eight Letter Crown
There is one seven-letter word: DRESSES.
And the holy grail: DRESSAGE.
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Why Does This Class Even Matter?
You might think, "It’s just a minigame, who cares?" Well, if you’re a completionist, you care. But even if you aren't, the rewards for the English track in Bully are some of the most practical in the game. By the time you finish English 5, your "Apologize" ability is maxed out. You can talk your way out of trouble with Prefects for minor crimes. You can also taunt more effectively, which is hilarious, and your ability to ask girls (or guys) on dates is significantly improved.
It’s the classic Rockstar Games irony. Jimmy Hopkins, a kid who looks like he’d rather eat a textbook than read one, becomes a master orator just so he can be a more efficient troublemaker.
Common Mistakes and Misconceptions
People often think the dictionary in Bully is exhaustive. It isn't. It uses a very specific, slightly dated word list. You might find a word that is technically English, but the game won't recognize it. This leads to frantic "button mashing" where you try to force a word that just isn't in the game's code.
Another issue? The "S" factor. Since you have two "S" letters in English 5, players often forget to pluralize. If you have "Grad," you also have "Grads." If you have "Dress," you also have "Dresses." Doubling up on plurals is the easiest way to cheese the timer.
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Strategies for the 70% Threshold
Don't go for the long words first. It’s a trap. Your brain freezes trying to find an 8-letter anagram. Instead, sweep the 3-letter words in the first 15 seconds. This clears the mental clutter. Once the "easy" ones are out of the way, the 4 and 5-letter patterns start to pop out.
If you're playing on the Scholarship Edition on PC or Xbox, the interface is pretty snappy. If you're on the mobile Anniversary Edition, the touch controls can be a bit finicky. Make sure you’re deliberate with your swipes so you don’t lose five seconds on a typo.
Actionable Steps to Clear English 5 Today
- Memorize the "Big" Words: Write down DRESSAGE, DRESSES, and GRADES on a sticky note. Input them the second the clock starts.
- Pluralize Everything: Every time you find a noun or verb, immediately check if adding an 'S' works. It almost always does in this specific lesson.
- Use the "Back-to-Front" Method: Look at the letters from right to left. Sometimes changing your visual perspective breaks the mental block that stops you from seeing words like "Sera" or "Gaed."
- Pause the Game: If you're really struggling, there's no shame in hitting the pause button. The timer stops, but the letters stay (or you can take a screenshot). Use that time to breathe and look at a word list if you're hitting a wall.
- Check Your Progress: Once you see that "Passed" stamp appear on the screen, you can actually stop. You don't need 100% to get the rewards, just the passing grade. If the stress is too much, take the win and run.
Once you nail English 5, you're officially done with Galloway's drinking—I mean, teaching—sessions. You'll have the best social skills in Bullworth Academy, making the rest of your climb to the top of the school hierarchy much smoother.