made reference of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "made reference of" is not correct in standard written English.
The correct expression is "made reference to." Example: "In her presentation, she made reference to several studies that support her argument."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Wiki

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Despite not appearing in the episode, the show made reference of Jack Donaghy's romantic interest in high school sweatheart, Nancy Donovan, portrayed by actress Julianne Moore.

Wikipedia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Nor does C2C's form make reference of the right to request money, although the company said it was in the process of correcting this.

The Guardian - Money

"This dog day afternoon turned better for Patty Hearst," was the Baltimore Sun's best shot, making reference of course to the 1975 film classic Dog Day Afternoon, starring Al Pacino about a bank hold-up that goes unnervingly wrong.

Independent

The calculated wind turbine which contains tapered tower, rotor overhang and tilted rotor shaft is constructed by making reference of successfully commercial operated wind turbine designed by NEG Micon and Vestas.

Energy Conversion and Management

If you cannot think any elements, you can make reference of the other games such as RuneScape or World of Warcraft for ideas.

WikiHow

While some of these stories covered issues about home and community-based care, none of them made reference to any of the key policy developments during this period.

Health Research Policy and Systems

He made reference to some of the calls I made along the way.

The New York Times

Any review that made reference to any of those writers would delight me.

The New York Times - Books

As McGrath talked to Ahmet, he made reference to spheres of humor and sophistication from which Geffen was excluded.

The New Yorker

A few participants made reference to the issue of observance of religious norms in the study.

BMC Medical Ethics

Ms. Pillay made reference to the context of the Conference, and the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use "made reference to" instead of "made reference of". The former is the correct and widely accepted form in standard English.

Common error

Avoid using the preposition "of" after "made reference". The correct preposition to use is "to". For example, use "The speaker made reference to the study" not "The speaker made reference of the study".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "made reference of" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. Its intended function is to indicate that something was mentioned or alluded to. As Ludwig AI points out, the correct form is "made reference to".

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Wiki

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "made reference of" is considered grammatically incorrect in standard English. The correct and accepted form is "made reference to". Ludwig AI highlights this distinction. While some instances of "made reference of" can be found across various sources, including news, scientific articles, and wikis, it's best practice to use the grammatically correct alternative, "made reference to", or other alternatives such as "referred to" or "mentioned" for clearer and more effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

referred to

A more concise and grammatically standard way of saying "made reference to".

mentioned

A simpler and more direct way of indicating that something was brought up.

made mention of

A slightly more formal alternative with a similar meaning.

alluded to

Suggests a more indirect or subtle reference.

cited

Implies a formal reference, often in academic or legal contexts.

drew attention to

Focuses on the act of highlighting something.

touched upon

Indicates a brief or cursory mention.

spoke about

A general term for discussing a topic.

hinted at

Suggests an indirect and subtle way of making something known.

acknowledged

Implies recognition or acceptance of something.

FAQs

Is it correct to say "made reference of"?

No, the correct phrase is "made reference to". The preposition "to" is required after "reference" in this context.

What is the difference between "made reference of" and "made reference to"?

"Made reference of" is grammatically incorrect. "Made reference to" is the standard and accepted phrase to indicate that something was mentioned.

What can I use instead of "made reference to"?

You can use alternatives like "referred to", "mentioned", or "alluded to" depending on the context.

How do I use "made reference to" in a sentence?

Use "made reference to" to indicate that someone mentioned or alluded to something. For example, "The author made reference to several historical events in her novel".