Cool MateWhat do you think vs What would be your guess
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
What do you think
Top 1,000 (very common)
What would be your guess
Top 2,000 (common)
Most common: What do you think
| What do you think | What would be your guess | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //wɒt də juː θɪŋk//🇺🇸 //wɑt də ju θɪŋk// | 🇬🇧 //wɒt wʊd bi jɔː ɡɛs//🇺🇸 //wʌt wʊd bi jʊr ɡɛs// |
| Meaning | Ask someone for their opinion. | What do you think might happen? |
| Example | What do you think about this plan? | What would be your guess regarding the outcome of the match? |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| Collocations | ask what you think, what do you think about, I wonder what you think | make a guess, take a guess, have a guess |
| Antonyms | I don't think, I have no opinion, I disagree, I believe the opposite | - |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'what do you want', Forgetting to use a question mark at the end, Using it too abruptly without context | Omitting 'would' and saying 'What is your guess?', 'Guess' is often confused with 'answer', though they mean different things. |
| Usage notes | Use in discussions to invite others' opinions. Avoid in formal presentations or when you expect a specific answer. | Use this phrase when asking someone for their opinion or estimate about an uncertain situation. Suitable in both informal and formal contexts. |
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Frequently asked questions: What do you think vs What would be your guess
What's the difference between What do you think and What would be your guess?
What do you think: Ask someone for their opinion. What would be your guess: What do you think might happen?
Which is more common: What do you think and What would be your guess?
What do you think is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
What do you think: What do you think about this plan? What would be your guess: What would be your guess regarding the outcome of the match?
Can I use What do you think and What would be your guess interchangeably?
Not always. What do you think and What would be your guess are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.