n · academic
hypothesis
UK/haɪˈpɒθəsɪs/US/haɪˈpɑːθəsɪs/hy·POTH·e·sis
Band 5-6task2speaking
a proposed explanation or prediction that can be tested
Examples
“One hypothesis is that urbanisation causes changes in family structures.”
“The researchers tested the hypothesis using survey data.”
“In Part 2 you can mention a hypothesis to explain why the trend happened.”
Band 8 sentence
“The authors proposed a testable hypothesis relating income inequality to voting behaviour and then evaluated it with longitudinal data.”
Collocations
- test a hypothesis
- formulate a hypothesis
Word family
hypothesize vhypothetical adj
Common mistakes
theory→hypothesis
guess→hypothesis
Say it for a higher band
5idea→6theory→7+hypothesis
Synonyms
proposition
Easily confused
theory
“The theory of evolution is supported by a large body of evidence.”
Related words
Learn this word with the rest of its set, and get reminded at the right time.
In Sublist 8
Learn it with its set