make a conjecture

USAGE SUMMARY

"make a conjecture" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It can be used when you are asking someone to form an educated guess or hypothesis based on available information. For example: Looking at the results of the survey, can you make a conjecture as to why more people prefer Product A?.

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

Hence, we can make a conjecture that the behavior of the disease is determined by (R_{0}^).

Advances in Difference Equations

"We may only put a question in mathematics (or make a conjecture)," he adds (PR §151), "where the answer runs: 'I must work it out'".

SEP

Thirty-nine descriptions were related to working independently to make a conjecture, and 19 descriptions were related to sharing and discussing a conjecture.

International Journal of STEM Education

So if a nonblack raven is found, the skeptical method concludes that not all ravens are black, but otherwise the method does not make a conjecture one way or another.

SEP

The goal of the task was for students to make a conjecture about the angle bisectors of a quadrilateral: After reminding students what happens with angle bisectors of a triangle, the teacher asks 'what can one say about the angle bisectors of a quadrilateral'.

International Journal of STEM Education

The norms suggest that instructional work includes the teacher presenting a task that provides students with mathematical, material, and social resources and asks students to make a conjecture; those resources could include a diagram and tools to gather information from it, as well as some description of the concepts students are to work with and the request to make some conjectures.

International Journal of STEM Education

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

Based on physical intuition and calculations that were not entirely rigorous, Witten made a conjecture about these intersections that grabbed the attention of mathematicians.

The Guardian

The animation The Square gave participants a context to discuss students' independent work making a conjecture.

International Journal of STEM Education

Alon et al. made a conjecture in 1991 in modular version.

Journal of Inequalities and Applications

In response to a student who overgeneralized from the case of a square, Tina planned to ask a second student who made a conjecture about rectangles to share their conjecture to contradict the first student's claim.

International Journal of STEM Education

In the data, we see that the majority of participants' descriptions of students related to working on the task can be placed into three categories: students who misuse task resources, students who would benefit from the use of additional resources, and students who might be unsuccessful in making a conjecture.

International Journal of STEM Education

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "make a conjecture", ensure that the conjecture is based on some level of evidence or reasoning, rather than being a completely random guess. Provide context or supporting information to make the conjecture more credible.

Common error

Avoid presenting a conjecture as a definitive fact or conclusion. Use hedging language, such as "it is possible that" or "it seems likely that", to indicate the speculative nature of the statement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "make a conjecture" primarily functions as a verb phrase, where "make" is the main verb and "a conjecture" is the direct object. Ludwig examples show it expressing the action of forming a hypothesis or educated guess.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

60%

News & Media

20%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

10%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "make a conjecture" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase for expressing the act of forming an educated guess or hypothesis. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is used across diverse contexts, from scientific research to news reporting. While not exceedingly common, its usage is appropriate in formal and scientific settings. When incorporating "make a conjecture" in writing, ensure that the conjecture is grounded in some evidence and that it's presented as a speculation rather than a definitive statement. Alternatives like "formulate a hypothesis" or "propose a theory" can be used depending on the desired level of formality.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

formulate a hypothesis

Replaces "conjecture" with "hypothesis", emphasizing a more scientific or formal approach.

offer a speculation

Uses "speculation" instead of "conjecture", suggesting a more exploratory or uncertain idea.

propose a theory

Substitutes "conjecture" with "theory", suggesting a more developed or comprehensive idea.

hypothesize

Replaces the whole phrase with a single verb that carries the same meaning.

put forward a suggestion

Uses "suggestion" instead of "conjecture", implying a less certain or more tentative idea.

present an assumption

Substitutes "conjecture" with "assumption", highlighting the acceptance of something as true without proof.

theorize

Substitutes the phrase with a verb, implying a more systematic explanation.

advance an opinion

Replaces "conjecture" with "opinion", indicating a more personal or subjective viewpoint.

develop a premise

Emphasizes the creation of a foundation for reasoning or argument.

draw an inference

Replaces the act of 'making' with 'drawing', suggesting a conclusion based on evidence.

FAQs

How do I use "make a conjecture" in a sentence?

You can use "make a conjecture" to introduce a hypothesis or educated guess based on available information. For example: "Based on the data, we can "make a conjecture" about the cause of the disease."

What are some alternatives to "make a conjecture"?

Alternatives include "formulate a hypothesis", "propose a theory", or "offer a speculation". The best choice depends on the specific context and level of formality.

Is it appropriate to "make a conjecture" in formal writing?

Yes, "make a conjecture" can be appropriate in formal writing, especially in scientific or academic contexts where hypothesis formation is common. However, ensure that the conjecture is presented as such and not as a proven fact.

What's the difference between "make a conjecture" and "make a hypothesis"?

While similar, "make a hypothesis" often implies a more structured and testable statement, particularly in scientific contexts, whereas "make a conjecture" can be a more general term for forming an educated guess.