may have worked

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "may have worked" is grammatically correct and commonly used in written English.
It is an example of a modal verb (may) followed by a perfect infinitive (have + past participle), which is often used to express possibility or uncertainty about past events. Example: "I heard that the new employee may have worked at a top company before joining ours."

✓ Grammatically correct

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

Faculty may have 300 items checked out.

University of California, Berkeley

Then, the next day, you may have 15.

The New York Times - Travel

Now it may have 500 million of them.

MIT Technology Review

You may have 50 companies competing instead of five.

MIT Technology Review

Visiting Scholars may have 20 items checked out.

University of California, Berkeley

Dark air-cured and fire-cured tobaccos may have 10 to 16 leaves, while Burley, flue-cured, Maryland, and cigar types may have 16 to 20 leaves.

Britannica

By then, China may have 70 attack submarines.

The Economist

Some batches may have 300 pounds of sulfur while another may have none.

Cornell University

China, meanwhile, may have 140 million cars on its roads by 2020.

The New York Times

But, she added, "Don't forget: they may have 10 households".

The New York Times

"We calculate that it may have 50 meters of dry space".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "may have worked" when you want to express uncertainty about a past event or action, avoiding definitive statements.

Common error

Avoid using "may have worked" when you are certain about the outcome. Opt for a more direct statement like "it worked" or "it was successful" to clearly convey your certainty.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "may have worked" functions as a modal verb phrase indicating a possibility or speculation about a past event or action. The modal verb "may" expresses uncertainty, while "have worked" indicates the action occurred in the past. According to Ludwig AI, this is a grammatically correct formation.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

0%

News & Media

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Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Science

0%

News & Media

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Formal & Business

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "may have worked" is a grammatically correct modal verb phrase used to express uncertainty or possibility about a past action or event. According to Ludwig AI, it is a typical way to communicate this idea in English. Although the phrase is grammatically sound, the lack of real-world examples prevents the determination of primary usage contexts or authoritative sources. Consider alternative phrases like "might have worked" or "could have worked" to diversify your writing while conveying the same meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

might have worked

Replaces "may" with "might", indicating a similar degree of possibility but potentially slightly less likelihood.

could have worked

Substitutes "may" with "could", suggesting possibility or potential in the past.

possibly worked

Replaces the modal verb with the adverb "possibly", focusing on the chance of success.

conceivably worked

Uses "conceivably" instead of "possibly", suggesting a more theoretical possibility.

potentially worked

Highlights the inherent potential for success, whereas the original is neutral to potential.

it's possible it worked

Rephrases the modal verb construction into a full sentence emphasizing the possibility.

it is plausible it worked

Similar to 'it's possible it worked' but using a more formal tone.

perhaps it worked

Replaces "may have" with "perhaps", conveying a sense of uncertainty about a past event.

it could be that it worked

Emphasizes the potential or chance, with a slightly more elaborate wording.

it's feasible that it worked

Indicates that it was doable under certain conditions, whereas original is more generic.

FAQs

How can I use "may have worked" in a sentence?

Use "may have worked" to indicate a possibility or uncertainty about a past event, such as, "The experimental treatment may have worked, but further tests are needed."

What's a more formal alternative to "may have worked"?

While "may have worked" is generally acceptable, a more formal alternative could be "it is plausible that it worked" or "it is conceivable that it worked."

What's the difference between "may have worked" and "might have worked"?

The difference between "may have worked" and "might have worked" is negligible. Both express possibility, but "might" sometimes suggests a slightly lower probability.

Can I use "may have worked" to talk about future events?

"May have worked" is typically used to refer to past events. For future events, use "may work" or "might work".