may have duplicates

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "may have duplicates" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when indicating that there is a possibility of repeated items or elements within a set or collection. Example: "The list of participants may have duplicates, so please verify each entry before finalizing the roster."

✓ Grammatically correct

Wiki

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Choose which fields may have duplicates present.

WikiHow

If you already have contacts in Outlook, you may have duplicates when you import your contacts list.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

One or more common ancestors to the Kinetoplastida duplicated each of XPO7, IPO8 and also may have duplicated IMB2 (Figure S2 d, e, f)).

Plosone

These five SERK genes in Medicago may have duplicated since it diverged from Lotus.

BMC Plant Biology

In the case of CD46A and CD46B, we speculate that the two snoRNA gene isoforms may have duplicated and diverged before the emergence of RIP.

BMC Genomics

This ancestral cA-SR may have duplicated into 2 distinct proteins (labelled 1.1 and 1.2) which would have contained the domain structure typical of this group (i.e. cytoplasmic, transmembrane, collagenous, and C-terminal domains).

BMC Evolutionary Biology

It suggested the 19,943 25-mer oligo sequences appear to be unique in the genome, and the remaining 2,527 25-mer sequences may have duplicated or similar sequences with at least 84% identities at different locations in the genome.

BMC Genomics

In turn, PurP may have duplicated from families associated with the LCA [carbamoyl-phosphate synthase, 6.3.5.5; phosphoribosylamine-glycine ligase, 6.3.4.13; 5- carboxyamino) imidazole ribonucleotide synthase, 6.3.4.18; phosphoribosylglycinamide formyltransferase, 2.1.2.2] belonging to nucleotide metabolism, partially replacing PurH in some archaeal clades.

BMC Genomics

As NDN is a maternally imprinted gene, it is feasible that LUCC6 may have duplicated the silenced allele giving a hypermethylated result, yet still contain an unmethylated paternal allele from which the protein is expressed.

British Journal of Cancer

The predicted gene in Lotus which appears to be orthologous to the five SERK3/4/5 family member genes is a single copy gene, indicating that the Medicago genes may have duplicated after the divergence of Medicago and Lotus.

BMC Plant Biology

A large class of unusually symmetric pairs of paralogs is to be expected: firstly, some paralogs may have duplicated a significant and unknown time since the nearest preceding speciation and thus evolved for the unknown time as a single copy, not accumulating any differences; and secondly, even after duplication, paralogs may be evolving unusually symmetrically due to concerted evolution.

Biology Direct

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "may have duplicates", clarify the criteria for identifying duplicates to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "may have duplicates" when there is definitive evidence of duplicates. Use stronger language like "does have duplicates" or "contains duplicates" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "may have duplicates" functions as a qualifier, indicating a possibility or potentiality. It suggests that a set of data, items, or entries might contain repeated instances. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

50%

Wiki

25%

News & Media

25%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "may have duplicates" is a grammatically sound and frequently employed expression used to indicate the potential presence of repeated items within a set. Ludwig AI analysis confirms its appropriateness for written English. The phrase finds application across diverse contexts, including scientific research, wiki articles, and news reports. When using the phrase, it's beneficial to clarify the criteria for identifying duplicates and avoid overstating the likelihood when definitive evidence exists. Consider alternative phrases such as "might contain duplicates" or "could include duplicates" to tailor the tone to the specific writing context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

might contain duplicates

Replaces "may" with "might", suggesting a slightly lower probability.

could include duplicates

Substitutes "may have" with "could include", indicating a possibility of inclusion.

possibly contains duplicates

Replaces "may have" with "possibly contains", emphasizing the potential existence of duplicates.

duplicates might be present

Rearranges the sentence to focus on the presence of duplicates using "might be".

duplicates are potentially present

Uses "potentially present" instead of "may have" to indicate a possibility.

there might be duplicates

Introduces "there might be" to express the possibility of duplicates existing.

it's possible duplicates exist

Emphasizes the possibility with "it's possible", changing the sentence structure.

duplicates are a possibility

Expresses the presence of duplicates as a possibility.

duplicates are conceivable

Uses "conceivable" to indicate that duplicates are within the realm of possibility.

redundancies might exist

Replaces "duplicates" with "redundancies", offering a synonymous term and using "might exist".

FAQs

How can I rephrase "may have duplicates" in formal writing?

In formal contexts, consider alternatives like "might contain duplicates" or "possibly includes duplicates" to maintain a professional tone.

What's a more direct way to say "may have duplicates"?

For a more direct approach, you could use phrases such as "could include duplicates" or "might be duplicated" depending on the specific context.

How do I use "may have duplicates" in a sentence?

You can use it to suggest the possibility of repetition, such as, "The contact list "may have duplicates" due to multiple imports from different sources."

What's the difference between "may have duplicates" and "definitely has duplicates"?

"May have duplicates" indicates a possibility, while "definitely has duplicates" confirms their existence. The former suggests investigation is needed; the latter implies action is required to resolve the duplication.