construct
part of speech
verb (construct, constructs, constructed, constructing); noun (a construct, constructs)
meaning for a pupil
1) To build or make something, such as a house, bridge or model. tree →
2) (maths) To draw a shape accurately using a ruler, compasses and protractor: «Construct a triangle with sides 5 cm, 6 cm and 7 cm.» tree →
3) To put together ideas or words: «construct a sentence», «construct an argument». tree →
4) (noun, formal) An idea or thing made by people's minds rather than found in nature. tree →
sense in the lessons
In maths lessons «construct» is a key instruction: use exact tools, not freehand. In science and technology pupils construct models, circuits and bridges. In English they construct sentences and paragraphs. Phrases: «construct a triangle», «construct a model», «well constructed», «construct a sentence».
examples
- Workers constructed a new bridge over the river. tree →
- Construct an angle of 60 degrees using a protractor. tree →
- We constructed a model volcano. tree →
- Can you construct a sentence using the word «because»? tree →
- The bird constructed its nest from twigs. tree →
- Money is a human construct. tree →
- She therefore instructed the hero how to construct a raft, for which she herself wove the sails. tree →
note
Verb stress: con-STRUCT; noun stress: CON-struct. Noun for the activity: construction. More formal than «build». In maths, «construct» means draw accurately, while «sketch» means draw roughly.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «construct» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.