may pertain to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "may pertain to" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when indicating that something is relevant or applicable to a particular subject or context. Example: "The findings of this study may pertain to the ongoing debate about climate change."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

She stays informed of the latest advancements and clinical trials that may pertain to her. "Too often people become timid about asking their doctors about clinical trials," Ms. Rich said.

The New York Times - Health

While Sheryl Sandberg's advice may pertain to a privileged subset of women with Ivy League educations, "leaning in" is no solution for the gender bias, inflexible work schedules and pay inequities that many working women still face.

The New York Times

In fact, evidence from a study of young adults called the Framingham Offspring Study suggests that insufficient absorption of B12 from foods may even be common among adults aged 26 to 49, so the following advice may pertain to them as well.

The New York Times - Health

Employees of The New York Post, Rupert Murdoch's irreverent and hard-charging city tabloid, were told Friday to keep any documents that may pertain to the kind of illegal activity that has led to arrests and a widening investigation at the News Corporation's British newspapers.

The New York Times

Page A7 DOCUMENTS TO BE KEPT Employees of The New York Post, were told to keep any documents that may pertain to the kind of illegal activity that has led to arrests and a widening investigation at News Corporation's British newspapers.

The New York Times

The reason may pertain to the fact that these movements activate essentially the same neural networks.

Neuroscience

Measurement invariance (MI) in multiple group comparison may pertain to different parameters of psychological assessment (Chen 2008; Sass 2011).

Large-scale Assessments in Education

Furthermore, it may pertain to the design of adhesion-modulating therapies alone or in combination with external autoantigen administration.

The American Journal of Pathology

Due to the cross-sectional design, this study could not reveal specific reasons but they may pertain to nutrition during the neonatal period and living habits in general.

Bone

As a result, rich functionality in traffic management, load balancing, routing, firewall configuration, etc. that may pertain to specific flows they control, may be easily developed.

Computer Networks

The increasing levels of the remaining metals in recent years, particularly As, may pertain to releases as by-products via the mine wastes.

Environmental Systems Research

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "may pertain to" when you want to suggest a potential connection or relevance without stating it as a definite fact. It is particularly useful when discussing possibilities or hypotheses.

Common error

Avoid using "may pertain to" when a direct and definitive relationship is known. In such cases, use stronger verbs like "is" or "demonstrates" for clarity and precision.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "may pertain to" functions as a modal verb phrase used to express a potential or possible relevance or connection. It introduces an element of uncertainty, suggesting that something could be related, as evidenced by its usage across various sources in Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

59%

News & Media

25%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Reference

2%

Academia

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "may pertain to" is a versatile phrase indicating a potential relevance or connection, commonly employed in formal contexts such as science and news media. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically sound and widely used. To enhance clarity, avoid using it when a definite relationship exists and consider alternatives like "might relate to" or "could be relevant to" for nuanced expression. With numerous examples available, Ludwig helps writers confidently and accurately incorporate "may pertain to" in their writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

may be pertinent to

Substitutes "pertain" with its synonym "pertinent", retaining a formal tone.

might relate to

Replaces "pertain" with "relate", suggesting a connection but with a slightly less formal tone.

might apply to

Replaces "pertain" with "apply", focusing on the practical relevance or usage.

could be relevant to

Substitutes "may pertain" with "could be relevant", emphasizing the potential applicability.

might be applicable to

Uses "applicable" instead of "pertain", highlighting the suitability for a particular context.

may have relevance to

Emphasizes the importance and applicability of the subject by using "have relevance".

may be connected to

Replaces "pertain" with "connected", indicating a link or association.

may have bearing on

Uses "have bearing on" as a more formal alternative to "pertain", suggesting influence or importance.

could be associated with

Replaces "pertain" with "associated", indicating a relationship or connection.

might concern

Uses "concern" instead of "pertain", focusing on the subject matter or topic involved.

FAQs

What does "may pertain to" mean?

The phrase "may pertain to" suggests a potential relevance or connection. It indicates that something could be related to or applicable to a particular subject, but it's not a definite or confirmed relationship.

What are some alternatives to "may pertain to"?

You can use alternatives like "might relate to", "could be relevant to", or "might apply to" depending on the specific context.

How formal is the phrase "may pertain to"?

The phrase "may pertain to" is considered relatively formal. It's commonly used in academic, scientific, and professional writing. In more casual contexts, phrases like "might relate to" or "could be about" may be more appropriate.

Is it correct to say "may pertains to"?

No, "may pertains to" is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "may pertain to". The modal verb "may" does not take the third-person singular "s".