make a prediction

USAGE SUMMARY

"make a prediction" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to encourage someone to form a conjecture that is based on their current knowledge. For example: Since there are a lot of rain clouds in the sky, let's make a prediction and guess it will rain later today.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

52 human-written examples

We may make a prediction.

Columbia University

"But I will make a prediction.

The New York Times

But you can make a prediction.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

"I'm going to make a prediction," Marlin said.

The New York Times - Sports

Texas juries in capital cases must make a prediction.

The New York Times

Still, Wang felt obliged to make a prediction.

The New Yorker

Trump did make a prediction a few days later.

The Washington Post

They just don't want to make a prediction.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Time to make a prediction, my self-hating friend.

The New York Times - Sports

I am optimistic enough about this that I am willing to make a prediction.

The Guardian - Business

When asked about it, he is too cautious to make a prediction.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "make a prediction", ensure it's followed by a clear statement of what you are predicting. For example, "I'm going to make a prediction: the stock market will crash next quarter."

Common error

Avoid phrasing predictions as absolute certainties. Use qualifiers like "likely", "probably", or "may" to reflect the inherent uncertainty in forecasting.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "make a prediction" functions as a verb phrase. Ludwig AI indicates that it is usable in written English when someone wants to form a conjecture that is based on their current knowledge. It introduces a statement about a future event, outcome, or trend based on available information or assumptions.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

48%

Academia

21%

Science

21%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Wiki

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "make a prediction" is a common and grammatically correct verb phrase used to introduce a forecast or educated guess about a future event. As Ludwig AI confirms, it’s appropriate for expressing conjectures based on current knowledge and applicable across various contexts, particularly in news, academia, and science. Related phrases like "offer a forecast" or "venture a guess" can be used as alternatives, depending on the desired level of formality and certainty. When using the phrase, it is useful to follow it with a clear statement of the prediction.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

anticipate an outcome

Emphasizes expecting a specific result, often based on prior knowledge or patterns.

offer a forecast

Focuses on providing a formal estimation of future events, differing from the broader scope of a simple prediction.

venture a guess

Implies a less certain and more speculative prediction, relying more on intuition than data.

foresee an event

Suggests an ability to see or know about a future event in advance.

hazard an estimate

Suggests making a prediction despite significant uncertainty or risk of being inaccurate.

speculate about the future

Focuses on forming theories or conjectures about what might happen, without firm evidence.

formulate a hypothesis

Refers to creating a testable statement for scientific inquiry, a more structured prediction.

advance a prognosis

Related to health or recovery predictions.

put forward a theory

Suggests a more elaborate and reasoned prediction, often within a specific framework.

draw a conclusion

Focuses on inferring a future state based on available evidence, rather than explicitly predicting.

FAQs

How can I use "make a prediction" in a sentence?

You can use "make a prediction" to introduce a forecast or educated guess about a future event. For example: "Based on the data, we can "make a prediction" about next quarter's sales."

What are some alternatives to "make a prediction"?

Alternatives include "offer a forecast", "venture a guess", or "formulate a hypothesis", depending on the context and level of certainty.

Is it better to "make a prediction" or "offer a forecast"?

The choice depends on the situation. "Make a prediction" is a general term, while "offer a forecast" suggests a more formal and data-driven estimation.

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

"Make a prediction" is a general statement about what might happen. "Make a hypothesis" is a specific, testable statement used in scientific inquiry.