method
part of speech
noun (a method, methods)
meaning for a pupil
1) A way of doing something, especially a planned, careful way. tree →
2) In science, the list of steps you follow in an experiment. tree →
3) In maths, the steps you use to work out an answer. tree →
sense in the lessons
In maths, teachers say «show your method» — write the steps, not just the answer; there can be different methods (column addition, number line, grid method) for the same sum. In science, a write-up has an aim, equipment, method, results and conclusion; the method must be clear so someone else can repeat it and make it a fair test. Phrases: «show your method», «a different method», «the scientific method», «grid method».
examples
- Show your method, not just the answer. tree →
- The grid method helps with long multiplication. tree →
- Write the method for your experiment in numbered steps. tree →
- Is there a quicker method? tree →
- We used two methods to check the answer. tree →
- The scientific method means testing ideas with fair experiments. tree →
- Grandma has her own method for making pancakes. tree →
- Her method was slow but it worked. tree →
note
Countable. Adjective: «methodical» (careful and orderly). A method is how you do it; a «result» is what you get. If two methods give different answers, at least one has a mistake.
In the corpora
- Ships and some dry countries make drinking water from seawater by distillation and other methods.
- Look, say, cover, write, check is a method for learning a spelling from memory.
- A jigsaw puzzle is easier with a method: edges and corners first, then group the colours.
- Start a jigsaw with the edges and corners, then group the colours; a method makes a hard puzzle easier.
- The Chinese learned to make silk from the cocoons of silkworms that eat mulberry leaves, and kept the method secret for centuries.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «method» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.