attributable to a shortage of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "attributable to a shortage of" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when explaining the cause of a problem or situation, particularly in formal or academic contexts. Example: "The delays in production are attributable to a shortage of raw materials."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

The report concluded that 2.7 million new workers will be needed to replace retiring workers, and another 700,000 to meet the needs of "natural business growth". Based upon estimates of surveyed executives, about 60percentt of the manufacturing jobs unfilled today are attributable to a shortage of applicants with the requisite skills.

HuffPost

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Eager for some real responsibility, he persuades his father to entrust him with a mission: the delivery of a bag containing $500,000 to Spokane, Wash., to redress a gangland imbalance attributable to a mysterious shortage.

The New York Times

Barton E. Crockett, an analyst with Lazard Capital Markets, said that the loss of promotional subscriptions was at least partly attributable to car sales patterns for the quarter, as well as to a shortage of new Japanese cars on the market this summer.

The New York Times

Many responded to a shortage of hairdressers.

Independent

Shortages of water and customers eventually lead to a shortage of income.

The New York Times - Travel

This has led to a shortage of graduates.

Forbes

This was due to a shortage of reagents.

BMC Health Services Research

Violence has also led to a shortage of teachers.

Unicef

This was attributable to a number of reasons.

Britannica

The relative weakness of informal controls is attributable to a number of factors.

Britannica

The success of the mapping project is attributable to a number of factors.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "attributable to a shortage of", clearly specify what is lacking to provide context and clarity. For example, "The project's delay is attributable to a shortage of qualified engineers".

Common error

While "attributable to a shortage of" is grammatically correct, avoid using it excessively in informal writing or conversations. Simpler phrases like "due to lack of" or "because of a shortage of" may be more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "attributable to a shortage of" functions as a causal connector, linking an outcome or situation to its cause—specifically, a deficiency or lack of something. According to Ludwig, this phrase is considered correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "attributable to a shortage of" is a grammatically correct phrase used to indicate that a situation or problem is caused by a lack of something. While Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English, it's more suited to formal and professional contexts. The phrase functions as a causal connector, explaining why something is happening by highlighting the deficiency. For less formal situations, simpler alternatives like "due to a lack of" or "because of a shortage of" may be more appropriate. The phrase appears in the Ludwig examples from News & Media, Science and Formal & Business contexts. Despite being correct and usable, "attributable to a shortage of" has a high degree of interchangeability with a list of alternatives, so a bit of creativity can benefit to writing improvement.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Due to a scarcity of

Replaces "attributable to" with "due to" and "shortage" with "scarcity", maintaining a formal tone.

Caused by a deficiency of

Substitutes "attributable to" with "caused by" and "shortage" with "deficiency", emphasizing a lack.

Resulting from a lack of

Uses "resulting from" instead of "attributable to" and "lack of" to convey the causal relationship.

Stemming from a deficit in

Employs "stemming from" and "deficit in" to suggest a root cause related to a shortfall.

Arising from an inadequacy of

Replaces with "arising from" and "inadequacy of" indicating an insufficient amount as the cause.

Because of an undersupply of

Uses "because of" and "undersupply of" emphasizing the insufficient supply as the reason.

A consequence of limited

Expresses the idea as a consequence of being limited, rather than directly lacking.

Linked to an insufficiency of

Uses "linked to" and "insufficiency of" suggesting a connection to an inadequate amount.

As a result of a dearth of

Employs "as a result of" and "dearth of" to convey the causal relationship and the extreme scarcity.

Owing to an absence of

Replaces "attributable to" with "owing to" and "shortage" with "absence", highlighting the missing element.

FAQs

How can I use "attributable to a shortage of" in a sentence?

You can use "attributable to a shortage of" to explain the cause of a problem or situation. For example, "The production delays are attributable to a shortage of raw materials." You can also consider /s/caused+by+a+lack+of or /s/due+to+a+scarcity+of as alternatives.

What's a more informal way to say "attributable to a shortage of"?

For informal contexts, you could use phrases like "due to a lack of", "because of a shortage of", or "caused by limited supplies". These options are less formal but convey the same basic meaning.

Is it always necessary to use "attributable to a shortage of", or are there better options?

While grammatically correct, "attributable to a shortage of" can sometimes sound overly formal. Consider whether a simpler phrase like /s/due+to+a+lack+of or /s/caused+by+an+insufficiency+of would be more appropriate for your audience and context.

What's the difference between "attributable to a shortage of" and "due to a shortage of"?

"Attributable to a shortage of" is more formal and suggests a direct causal relationship. "Due to a shortage of" is slightly less formal and also indicates a causal relationship, but may be preferred in less formal writing.