may be of course

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "may be of course" is not correct in standard written English.
It seems to be a combination of two separate phrases, "may be" and "of course," which should not be used together in this way. An example of a correct usage would be: "You may, of course, choose to decline the offer."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

17 human-written examples

This may be, of course, because Christians appear alarmingly normal.

The Guardian - Opinion

It may be, of course, that these questions are unanswerable in a general sense.

The Guardian - Books

That may be, of course, that education was the dominant theme tonight.

The New York Times

There may be, of course, some bluffing in the Bush and Gore organizations.

The New York Times

There may be, of course, no such thing as totally asymptomatic infections.

Britannica

It may be, of course, that Aldo may still smelled an old smell.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

43 human-written examples

Early emergence of delta abnormalities in depression may be of relevance to clinical course of illness.

Journal of Affective Disorders

It may well be, of course, that Kepel and Roy's views are complementary.

The Washington Post

We may be naive, of course, but that's the way a lot of us believe.

Los Angeles Times

He may be right, of course.

The New York Times

This recession may be different, of course.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "may be of course" in formal writing. Instead, separate the expressions to convey the intended meaning clearly. For instance, write "It may be true; of course, there are other factors to consider".

Common error

Avoid redundancy by choosing either "may be" to indicate possibility or "of course" to express obviousness. Do not combine them, as it creates an awkward and grammatically unsound construction.

Linguistic Context

The construction "may be of course" is not a standard grammatical phrase. As Ludwig AI points out, this phrase appears to be a combination of two separate phrases, "may be" and "of course", used incorrectly together. It's an attempt to express possibility alongside obviousness or agreement but fails grammatically.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

56%

Science

19%

Encyclopedias

6%

Less common in

Academia

6%

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "may be of course" is flagged by Ludwig AI as grammatically incorrect, arising from a conflation of "may be" (expressing possibility) and "of course" (indicating obviousness). While Ludwig's examples show the phrase's presence in news and media, its use is discouraged in formal writing due to its ungrammatical nature. Alternative phrasing is highly recommended for clarity and correctness. Consider using separate phrases like "It may be true; of course" or opting for alternatives such as "it "might be the case that"" to convey similar meanings without grammatical errors.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it might be the case that

Replaces the phrasing with a more explicit statement of possibility.

it could be that

Offers another common way to express a possibility or potential situation.

perhaps it is

Uses a single adverb to convey possibility in a concise manner.

it is possibly

Modifies the verb with an adverb to indicate uncertainty.

conceivably it is

Emphasizes the potential for something to be true or happen.

it is potentially

Highlights the inherent possibility of something.

it is understood

Emphasizes the acceptance of something as a known fact.

it is accepted that

Highlights that something is generally agreed upon.

it is recognized that

Suggests that something is acknowledged or known.

naturally it is

Similar to "of course", emphasizing that something is expected or logical.

FAQs

How can I correctly use "may be" and "of course" in a sentence?

Use them separately or in a sequence where each retains its individual meaning. For example, "That "may be" a solution; "of course", there are other options".

What does "may be" indicate in a sentence?

"May be" indicates a possibility or uncertainty. It suggests something is potentially true but not confirmed.

What does "of course" imply in a statement?

"Of course" implies that something is obvious, expected, or already known.

Is "might be of course" a better alternative to "may be of course"?

No, "might be of course" suffers from the same grammatical issue as "may be of course". It's best to use alternatives like "It "could be" that" or separate the phrases.