reason
part of speech
noun (a reason, reasons); verb (reason, reasons, reasoned, reasoning)
meaning for a pupil
1) A reason is why something happens or why someone does something; a cause or explanation. tree →
2) Reason is the power to think clearly and sensibly. tree →
3) To reason is to think something through step by step to reach an answer. tree →
sense in the lessons
In maths and science, pupils are asked to «give a reason» or «explain your reasoning»: say why your answer is true. In everyday life, rules have reasons, often safety. In stories, reasons explain why characters act. Phrases: «for this reason», «the reason why», «for no reason», «within reason» (sensibly, not too much), «reason with someone» (try to persuade them calmly).
examples
- What is the reason you were late? tree →
- Give a reason for your answer. tree →
- We wear helmets for a good reason. tree →
- She cried for no reason at all. tree →
- Let's reason it out step by step. tree →
- The reason the ice melted is the heat. tree →
- You can eat sweets within reason. tree →
- I tried to reason with my little brother. tree →
- "The reason is this, then," said the potter. tree →
note
«The reason why» and «the reason that» are both used. Say «the reason is that …», not «the reason is because …» in careful writing. «Reasonable» means fair and sensible. In maths, «reasoning» means showing how you got the answer.
In the corpora
- Families move house for many reasons: a new job, more room, a cheaper rent, or because a tenancy ends.
- Many puzzling things have a boring reason.
- When someone gives a reason, like being ill, swapping it for a meaner guess is cruel.
- A good answer comes with reasons, so ask "why?" rather than only "are you sure?".
- Parental controls are there for good reasons; talk about them rather than trying to trick them.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «reason» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.