may be often

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "may be often" is not correct and does not work well in written English.
It is typically used incorrectly because "may be" suggests possibility, while "often" indicates frequency, creating a contradiction. Example: "The results may be often misleading if not interpreted correctly."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

43 human-written examples

It's almost impossible to overestimate money's role.Arguments about money, whatever they may be, often lead to divorce.

The New York Times

Third, recurrent thrombi may be difficult to differentiate from residual thrombi, which may be often identified in patients with a history of VTE.

Thrombosis Research

An object may be often seen at a distance not very clearly, and the seer may want to determine what it is which he sees.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

However, many years of experimental studies have underlined that non-optimal cell interaction may be often an impenetrable limitation for the in vitro and in vivo applicability of scaffolds.

Functional 3D Tissue Engineering Scaffolds Materials, Technologies and Applications

Moreover, analyses pointed out that the effect of the normal forces on the elastoplastic response of the bridge shall not be considered as negligible, as instead it may be often considered in the Limit Analysis of frames.

Archives of Civil and Mechanical Engineering

Yet corporate raiders, unwanted though they may be, often force stodgy corporations to unlock valuable assets and make the difficult strategic decisions that will make them more competitive and efficient.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

17 human-written examples

The act that is exposed by the whistleblower, regardless of how vile it may be, is often viewed are secondary to the act of dissent itself.

HuffPost

Species that may be invasive are often only identified by regulation after they become problematic.

The Guardian

But in the leg these may be and often are dissociated.

Nature

The TLESRs may be more often associated with GER episodes in the presence of hypotensive LES.

Nature

I think part of the problem may be that often we buy tomatoes that are slightly under ripe.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When you are tempted to use "may be often", consider whether you primarily want to express possibility or frequency, and choose phrasing that emphasizes that aspect.

Common error

A common mistake is to use "may be often" when you mean either something is possible or something is frequent, but not necessarily both. Instead, separate these ideas: "It is possible that it will happen often" or "It frequently happens".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "may be often" attempts to function as an adverbial modifier, indicating both possibility and frequency. However, Ludwig AI suggests that the combination is grammatically incorrect and often leads to awkward phrasing.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

65%

News & Media

21%

Academia

7%

Less common in

Wiki

4%

Formal & Business

1%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "may be often" appears frequently across various sources, Ludwig AI flags it as grammatically incorrect due to the conflicting nature of expressing possibility and frequency simultaneously. It is best to avoid this phrase in formal writing and opt for clearer alternatives like "might frequently be" or "could often be". When deciding on a replacement, consider whether you want to emphasize the possibility or the frequency of the event and choose the phrasing that best reflects your intended meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

might frequently be

Replaces 'may' with 'might' for similar possibility and rearranges 'often' for better flow.

could often be

Substitutes 'may' with 'could', indicating possibility, and keeps 'often' to suggest frequency.

can frequently be

Uses 'can' for possibility combined with 'frequently' to indicate how often.

is frequently

Emphasizes frequency over possibility by using 'is frequently' instead of 'may be'.

is commonly

Focuses on common occurrence rather than possibility; a stronger statement of frequency.

often tends to be

Highlights the tendency for something to occur frequently.

is prone to be

Indicates a predisposition for something to happen regularly.

is inclined to be

Suggests a regular inclination or likelihood of something.

tends to often be

Emphasizes a tendency combined with frequency.

will frequently be

Indicates a future possibility with a high chance of frequency.

FAQs

What's wrong with the phrase "may be often"?

The phrase "may be often" is considered grammatically awkward because "may be" implies possibility, while "often" indicates frequency. This combination can create a contradictory or unclear meaning.

How can I rephrase "may be often" to sound more natural?

Instead of "may be often", consider using phrases like "might frequently be", "could often be", or "is frequently" depending on the intended meaning.

Is there a difference between "may be often" and "is often"?

Yes, "is often" expresses that something frequently happens, whereas "may be often" attempts to combine possibility and frequency, which is grammatically unconventional. Use "is often" when you want to state that something occurs frequently.

When is it acceptable to use a phrase similar to "may be often"?

While generally discouraged, a phrase similar to "may be often" could be used in informal contexts where the intended meaning is understood, but it's best to avoid it in formal writing. Alternatives like "can frequently be" provide better clarity.