What does ascribe mean?
Word: Ascribe
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: Ascribe means to say or believe that something was caused by, or written by, a particular person or thing.
Synonyms: credit
How do you spell ascribe?
Syllables: a - scribe
Tricky part: The sk sound after the opening a is spelt sc, and one of the two letters often goes missing.
Watch out for: asribe, acribe
Memory tip: Two friends walk together after the opening a: the s and the c never part in this word.
Ascribe in a sentence
Example 1: We ascribe our good harvest to the early rains.
Example 2: The old recipe book is ascribed to my great-grandmother.
Example 3: She would ascribe her calm to years of early-morning running.
Fun Fact
Art experts still use the word: a painting 'ascribed to' a famous master is one they think he painted, though they cannot be certain.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word ascribe as used in the sentence:
Many fans ascribe the team's success to its new coach.
a) lend
b) compare
c) attribute
d) introduce
Show answer
c) attribute. To attribute success to someone is to say they caused it.
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the word in the sentence and choose it:
Scholars ibecsar this old poem to a court singer of the Gupta age.
a) prescribe
b) inscribe
c) ascribe
d) describe
Show answer
c) ascribe. Describe needs a d, inscribe an n and prescribe a p.
Word Cookie
Insert the correct letters to form a word:
ascr_b_
a) i, a
b) y, e
c) i, e
d) e, e
Show answer
c) i, e. The long i is spelt i here, and a silent e closes the word.
Spell-o-Spell
Only one of these words is spelt correctly. Choose its meaning:
1. alocate 2. presurve 3. ascribe 4. asume
a) to keep something safe from change
b) to set something aside for a purpose
c) to name the source of something
d) to suppose something without proof
Show answer
c) to name the source of something. Assume needs two s's, allocate two l's, and preserve an e after the s.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. If you ascribe a delay to bad weather, you believe the weather ____.
a) will soon improve
b) was not a problem
c) came as a surprise
d) was the reason for it
Show answer
d) was the reason for it
2. Which sentence shows something being ascribed?
a) This song is thought to be by Tagore.
b) This song is easy to learn.
c) This song has six short verses.
d) This song was sung at the fair.
Show answer
a) This song is thought to be by Tagore.
