he may know

USAGE SUMMARY

'he may know' is correct and usable in written English.
You could use this phrase when you are speculating about what someone knows, such as, "I'm not sure if he knows what time the movie starts, but he may know."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

He may know what's going on.

The New York Times

He may know something I don't.

The Washington Post

He may know this, but we don't.

The Guardian

"He may know there is something there, or he may know that there's not.

The New York Times

"He may know too much," the former senator said.

The New York Times

What Mr. Muti wants only he may know.

The New York Times - Arts

He may know how to walk the ledge without falling.

The New York Times - Sports

He may know the word, but he doesn't know when or how to use it.

University of California, Berkeley

What he may know least well in "An Object of Beauty" is a living, breathing Lacey.

The New York Times - Books

And he may know 50 or so people who care what he says, but he's nobody.

The Washington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

I'm good friends with one of the top sales trainers in your field--he may know people who are looking for new opportunities". Helping people with causes in their personal lives are even better.

HuffPost

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "he may know" to express uncertainty or speculation about someone's knowledge, rather than stating a definitive fact. It's suitable when you have reason to believe someone might have information, but you're not certain.

Common error

Avoid using "he may know" when you actually have concrete evidence that he does know something. In such cases, a more direct statement like "he knows" is more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "he may know" functions as a modal phrase expressing possibility or speculation. Ludwig indicates its use in contexts where there's a degree of uncertainty regarding an individual's knowledge.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Academia

20%

Science

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "he may know" is a grammatically sound and versatile phrase used to express the possibility of someone possessing specific knowledge. As indicated by Ludwig, this phrase sees widespread use across varied contexts, particularly in news, academic, and scientific domains. It serves the purpose of tentative assertion and speculation, rather than definitive statements. Related phrases such as "it's possible he knows" offer similar meanings with slightly altered nuances. Remember to use "he may know" when expressing uncertainty, and avoid it when you possess concrete evidence.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it's possible he knows

Emphasizes the possibility of his knowledge, presenting it as one potential scenario.

perhaps he is aware

Uses "aware" to suggest consciousness or understanding, slightly more formal.

he might be informed

More formal and indirect, suggesting he possesses information.

it could be that he understands

Introduces a conditional element, focusing on his comprehension.

he conceivably knows

Uses "conceivably" to highlight the plausibility, though potentially unlikely.

he potentially has knowledge

Focuses on the potential possession of knowledge, slightly more verbose.

it's not impossible he is privy to

Suggests he has access to confidential information, more specific.

he is possibly acquainted with

Implies familiarity or awareness, less direct than knowing.

he is rumored to know

Adds an element of hearsay or unverified information.

he may be privy to

Indicates access to private or secret information, implying exclusivity.

FAQs

How can I use "he may know" in a sentence?

Use "he may know" to express a possibility or speculation about someone's knowledge. For example, "I'm not sure if he's been told about the changes, but "he may know"."

What's the difference between "he may know" and "he knows"?

"He knows" indicates certainty about someone's knowledge, while ""he may know"" expresses possibility or uncertainty.

Are there more formal alternatives to "he may know"?

Yes, you can use phrases like "it's possible he knows" or "perhaps he is aware" in more formal contexts.

Is it correct to say "he may knows" instead of "he may know"?

No, "he may knows" is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is ""he may know"" because "may" is a modal verb, and it's always followed by the base form of the verb.