a plausible reason is

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a plausible reason is" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when introducing a justification or explanation that seems reasonable or believable. Example: "A plausible reason is that the project was delayed due to unforeseen circumstances."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

But a plausible reason is that many poor Swedish neighbourhoods have been plagued with bad schools, and vouchers meant students were no longer forced to attend them.

The Economist

A plausible reason is that all the dinosaurs had been killed off, except the line that evolved into birds, and the placental mammals speciated into the ecological niches that had been left vacant.

The New York Times - Science

A plausible reason is the backdonation from the occupied d orbital in zinc.

Nanoscale Research Letters

A plausible reason is that cumulus convection activity on the day side is enhanced by solar radiation, which is discussed below.

Earth, Planets and Space

A plausible reason is that many incumbent banks have seen the significance of FinTech and tried to incorporate these start-ups or technologies into their businesses, either through joint partnerships, service outsourcing, venture capital funding, or acquisitions.

Financial Innovation

A plausible reason is that the time of recovery after the stroke was too long in the latter study.

BioMed Research International

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

A more plausible reason is that the Standard was investigating a relationship between government officials and drug smugglers.

The Economist

A very plausible reason is that the metaphysical possibility of Zhangsan winning the game has been ruled out from the domain of quantification for keneng with the speaker's utterance time as the temporal perspective.

Lingua Sinica

One plausible reason is a sense of self-reliance, in terms of self-defense or even in terms of the ability to hunt their own dinner".

Huffington Post

If the cost of euthanasia and disposal of a horse carcass is $140, as stated in the article, what plausible reason is there to send an old friend to be slaughtered in Mexico and Canada?

The New York Times

One plausible reason is because of an arms deal probe.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a plausible reason is", ensure that the reason you provide is genuinely believable and supported by evidence or logical reasoning. Avoid using it for speculative or far-fetched explanations.

Common error

Avoid presenting the reason as definitively true or the only possibility when using "a plausible reason is". Instead, acknowledge that it is one potential explanation among others.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a plausible reason is" functions as a causal connector, introducing an explanation or justification that appears believable or likely. As shown by Ludwig, it is frequently used to provide a logical connection between events or observations.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

41%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Wiki

1%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a plausible reason is" serves as a useful tool for introducing believable explanations across a variety of contexts. As noted by Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically correct and often used in both scientific and journalistic writing. While many alternative phrases exist, such as "a likely explanation is" or "a credible justification is", it's essential to ensure the explanation you're offering is actually supported by evidence. The phrase is common but it's important to avoid overstating the certainty of the reason being presented. Overall, "a plausible reason is" is a versatile way to introduce reasonable and well-supported explanations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a likely explanation is

Replaces "plausible reason" with "likely explanation", emphasizing the probability of the explanation.

a credible justification is

Substitutes "plausible reason" with "credible justification", highlighting the believability of the justification.

a reasonable cause is

Replaces "plausible reason" with "reasonable cause", focusing on the logical basis of the cause.

a valid explanation could be

Changes the structure and uses "valid explanation" emphasizing the soundness of the explanation.

a possible explanation includes

Offers an explanation among other possibilities, broadening the scope.

one could attribute this to

Shifts the focus to attribution, suggesting a cause or origin for something.

it is conceivable that

Introduces a sense of possibility and conceivability as an explanation.

an assumption could be made that

Suggests a potential underlying assumption to explain the situation.

one might hypothesize that

Introduces a formal hypothesis as a potential reason or explanation.

the underlying factor could be

Highlights an underlying factor that might explain the situation, implying a deeper cause.

FAQs

How can I use "a plausible reason is" in a sentence?

Use "a plausible reason is" to introduce a reason or explanation that seems believable or likely given the available information. For example: "The project was delayed; "a plausible reason is" that key personnel were unavailable".

What are some alternatives to "a plausible reason is"?

You can use alternatives such as "a likely explanation is", "a credible justification is", or "a reasonable cause is" to convey a similar meaning.

Is it better to say "a plausible reason is" or "the only reason is"?

"A plausible reason is" suggests one potential explanation among others, while "the only reason is" implies that there is only one possible explanation. Using "a plausible reason is" is generally more cautious and appropriate when you cannot be absolutely certain.

How formal is the phrase "a plausible reason is"?

The phrase "a plausible reason is" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts. It's commonly used in academic writing, news articles, and everyday conversation to introduce a believable explanation.