can stems from

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "can stems from" is not correct in standard written English.
It seems to be a mix-up of two phrases, "can" and "stems from," which should not be combined in this way. An example of a correct usage would be: "The problem can stem from a lack of communication."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research

The New York Times - Tech

The Economist

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Difficulty in differentiating these bony diseases from CAN stems from ambiguity in the history and physical examination at the time of presentation.

Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

A. A balky BlackBerry trackball can stem from a software issue or a hardware problem.

The New York Times - Tech

Should governments promote efficiency?A: Inefficiency can stem from a failure of market mechanisms.

The Economist

Age-related memory deficiencies can stem from a number of causes.

Encyclopedia Britannica

"There's compliance risk, which can stem from complicated and costly disputes.

Independent

Health aside, advertising whole foods can stem from a desire to turn around the failing fortunes of a product.

The Guardian

But because onslaughts can stem from spoofed internet addresses, not all companies can prepare for or afford such mitigation.

The Economist

Other strikes can stem from sympathy with other striking unions or from jurisdictional disputes between two unions.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The most common charge — insulting or attacking military personnel — can stem from a mundane argument with an officer.

The New York Times

These "prescription cascades" can stem from statins like Lipitor, common antihistamines like Benadryl and heartburn remedies like Prilosec.

The New York Times - Health

The cause is often weakened pelvic floor muscles, which can stem from pregnancies and childbirth, menopause and weight gain.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "can stems from" in formal writing. Instead, opt for grammatically correct alternatives such as "can arise from" or "can result from" to ensure clarity and accuracy.

Common error

A common mistake is to combine "can" and "stems from" when a more direct expression of causation is needed. Instead of saying "the problem can stems from", revise it to "the problem can arise from" or "the problem stems from" for grammatical correctness.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "can stems from" attempts to link possibility with causation, but the correct form is "can arise from" or "stems from". As Ludwig AI points out, it's a mix-up of two phrases, leading to grammatical incorrectness.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

68%

Science

21%

Encyclopedias

6%

Less common in

Wiki

2%

Formal & Business

2%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "can stems from" attempts to convey a potential cause or origin, it is grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI indicates that this phrase is a mix-up of correct alternatives. It's best to use phrases like "can arise from", "can result from", or simply "stems from" to maintain grammatical accuracy and clarity. Although examples exist across News & Media, Science, and Encyclopedias, the incorrect grammar makes it unsuitable for formal writing. Always opt for the correct alternatives to ensure effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

can arise from

Replaces "stems" with "arise", offering a more standard and grammatically sound alternative to indicate origin.

can result from

Substitutes "stems" with "result", providing a clearer and more conventional way to express consequence.

can originate from

Replaces "stems" with "originate", which accurately conveys the idea of something beginning or being caused by something else.

can be caused by

Uses a passive construction to indicate causation, making the sentence structure more straightforward.

can be attributed to

Offers a more formal alternative, suitable for academic or professional contexts.

can be due to

Emphasizes that something is a direct consequence of another factor.

can derive from

Similar to "originate", this implies that something is obtained or developed from a source.

can spring from

This is a more figurative way of saying that something arises suddenly or unexpectedly from a source.

can have its roots in

Implies a deeper, more fundamental origin or cause.

can emanate from

Suggests that something flows out or originates from a particular source.

FAQs

How to correctly use the idea of "can stems from" in a sentence?

The phrase "can stems from" is grammatically incorrect. Instead, use alternatives such as /s/can+arise+from, /s/can+result+from, or /s/can+originate+from to express the intended meaning.

What's wrong with the phrase "can stems from"?

The phrase "can stems from" incorrectly combines the modal verb "can" with the verb "stems". A grammatically correct alternative would be to use "can arise from" or simply "stems from".

Which is correct, "can stems from" or "can stem from"?

Neither "can stems from" nor "can stem from" is considered correct. The correct phrasing would be "can arise from" or "stems from".

What can I say instead of "can stems from"?

You can use alternatives like "can arise from", "can result from", or "can originate from" depending on the context.