To guess (verb) means to form an opinion or give an answer without full knowledge or certainty; to estimate. A guess (noun) is the estimate or opinion itself — the answer you produce when you are not completely sure.
What Does Guess Mean?
Guess comes from Middle English gessen, borrowed from a Scandinavian source related to Old Norse geta (to get, to figure out). It has been used in English since the 14th century, originally meaning "to take aim" or "to estimate a distance", and has developed into its modern sense of forming an opinion without complete information.
In everyday English, guess is one of the most frequently used words at the A2 level. It appears in classroom instructions ("Guess the meaning"), social situations ("Guess who I saw today!"), and problem-solving contexts ("Make your best guess"). The word captures the act of thinking and deciding even when you lack certainty — a skill that is essential for language learners.
Note the distinction between guess and estimate: an estimate suggests a more calculated, reasoned judgement (often involving numbers), whereas a guess may be entirely intuitive. A wild guess is random; an educated guess is based on logic and partial knowledge. Both expressions are very common in British English.
Example Sentences
| Sentence | Level & Usage note |
|---|---|
| If you do not know a word, guess the meaning from the context before checking. | A2 — imperative verb form; classroom instruction |
| I guessed that the film would be long, and I was right — it lasted nearly three hours. | B1 — past simple; forming an opinion before an event |
| She took a guess at the answer and, surprisingly, got it correct. | B1 — noun; collocation take a guess |
| Based on the evidence, the detective made an educated guess about the suspect's motive. | B2 — collocation educated guess; semi-formal register |
| One can only guess at the full extent of the economic consequences at this stage in the crisis. | C1 — guess at + noun phrase; formal, tentative register |
Collocations
| Collocation | Example |
|---|---|
| make a guess | Just make a guess — there is no penalty for being wrong. |
| take a guess | Take a guess at the number of words in an average novel. |
| educated guess | My educated guess is that the project will take six weeks. |
| wild guess | That figure was a complete wild guess — I had no data. |
| lucky guess | It was only a lucky guess, not genuine knowledge. |
| best guess | What is your best guess for the date of the next election? |
| rough guess | As a rough guess, I would say about two hundred people attended. |
| guess correctly | Students who guess correctly earn an extra point. |
| guess wrong | I guessed wrong twice before I found the right answer. |
| at a guess | At a guess, I would say she is in her mid-thirties. |
Usage Notes
- guess + that-clause: "I guessed that he was nervous." This is the most common pattern for expressing an opinion or prediction.
- guess + question word: "Can you guess what time it is?" / "Guess who called me!" — very common in spoken English.
- guess at + noun phrase: Used when forming an estimate about something unknown: "We can only guess at the true cost." This is slightly more formal.
- I guess (informal): In informal British and American English, I guess is used to express uncertain agreement or a tentative opinion: "I guess you are right." This use is more common in American English; British speakers often prefer I suppose.
- Noun patterns: "a good guess", "a wild guess", "have a guess", "take a guess" — note that British English prefers have a guess where American English uses take a guess.
Common Mistakes
Watch Out For
I am guessing you are angry with me. (progressive form used for a mental state)
I guess you are angry with me. (stative meaning; simple form is preferred)
She guessed at me that I was wrong.
She guessed that I was wrong. (use guess + that-clause, not guess at + person)
My guess was a wrong one.
My guess was wrong. (avoid the construction "a wrong guess" when "wrong" follows as a predicative; simply say "I guessed wrong" or "my guess was wrong")