What does deduce mean?
Word: Deduce
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: Deduce means to work something out by thinking carefully about the facts you already have.
Synonyms: conclude
How do you spell deduce?
Syllables: de - duce
Tricky part: The last sound is a plain s, which tempts many spellers to write deduse. Here that sound comes from ce.
Watch out for: deduse, deduss
Memory tip: Cross out the s you think you hear and put a c in its place, then finish with the e.
Deduce in a sentence
Example 1: Nisha saw the crumbs on the sofa and could deduce who had opened the biscuit tin.
Example 2: From the length of the shadow, can you deduce what time it was?
Example 3: Good readers deduce a character's mood from small hints in the story.
Fun Fact
Philosophers set deduction against induction: the first moves from a general rule down to one case, the second builds a general rule up from many cases.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Insert the correct pair of letters to form a word:
d_d_ce
a) i,u
b) i,o
c) e,u
d) e,o
Show answer
c) e,u. An e follows the first d, and a u follows the second.
Word Cookie
Find the extra letter in the word:
dedduce
a) c
b) d
c) u
d) e
Show answer
b) d. The middle of the word holds a single d.
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word deduce as used in the sentence:
From the wet paw prints across the kitchen floor, Meera was able to deduce that the puppy had been out in the rain.
a) inform
b) infer
c) insist
d) invent
Show answer
b) infer. To infer is to reach an idea from the signs in front of you, which is what Meera does.
Spell-o-Spell
Only one of these words is spelt correctly. Choose its meaning:
1. reminice 2. speculete 3. hypothisis 4. deduce
a) talk or think fondly about times gone by
b) form an opinion without having the full facts
c) an idea put forward to explain something, still untested
d) arrive at a conclusion from the evidence you have
Show answer
d) arrive at a conclusion from the evidence you have. Deduce stands correct; hypothesis, speculate and reminisce each carry a slip here.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. In which scene is someone deducing a fact?
a) Ali learns a poem for the school concert
b) Ali sees muddy boots and says Dad is home
c) Ali copies the date from a calendar
d) Ali reads the time on the wall clock
Show answer
b) Ali sees muddy boots and says Dad is home
2. Which skill does a person mainly rely on to deduce the answer to a puzzle?
a) speed
b) memory
c) luck
d) reasoning
Show answer
d) reasoning
