may very be

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "may very be" is not correct in standard written English.
It seems to be a misplacement of words and does not convey a clear meaning. An example of a corrected phrase could be: "It may very well be true that...".

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

It may very be the easiest, in fact.

The New York Times

There's significant evidence that suggests this may very be the case.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Where there is smoke, there may very well be fire, but there may also be mirrors.

The New York Times

In practice, the frequency response function matrix to be inverted may very often be ill-conditioned.

Journal of Sound and Vibration

"Because he is, it may very well be the case".

Los Angeles Times

That may very well be the way things are.

The Guardian - Opinion

A We are 98 percent and may very soon be 100 percent.

The New York Times

They are my age, and may very well be clones.

The Guardian - Books

It may very well be higher.

The New Yorker

That may very well be the case.

The New York Times

Which may very well be a tribute to … David Bumble LloydyDavid Bumble Lloyd

The Guardian - Music

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When expressing possibility or likelihood, always use grammatically correct constructions like "may very well be", "might very well be", or "could very well be". Avoid using "may very be".

Common error

Avoid using the phrase "may very be" as it's not grammatically correct. Instead, ensure you use "may very well be" or similar alternatives to properly convey your intended meaning.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "may very be" functions as an incorrect attempt to express possibility or likelihood. As Ludwig AI points out, the phrase does not follow standard English grammar rules.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "may very be" is generally considered grammatically incorrect in standard English. While some examples exist, they are infrequent and often appear to be misuses. As Ludwig AI notes, it's essential to use correct alternatives such as "may very well be", "might very well be", or "could very well be" to properly express possibility or likelihood. Pay close attention to grammatical correctness to ensure clear and effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

may very well be

Adds emphasis and correctness to the expression of possibility.

might very well be

Replaces "may" with "might", offering a slightly weaker degree of certainty but maintaining grammatical accuracy.

could very well be

Substitutes "may" with "could", indicating possibility.

may indeed be

Replaces "very" with "indeed", providing a similar sense of emphasis on the possibility.

may quite possibly be

Substitutes "very" with "quite possibly", expressing a higher degree of likelihood.

might actually be

Uses "actually" instead of "very" to convey a sense of reality or surprise regarding the possibility.

it is quite possible that

Rephrases the sentence structure to emphasize the possibility in a more formal tone.

it is conceivable that

Introduces a more formal alternative emphasizing the conceivability of something

it's potentially the case that

Uses "potentially" and slightly modifies sentence structure to express a possibility

it could be argued that

Frames the possibility as an argument that could be made

FAQs

What is the correct way to use "may very" in a sentence?

The phrase "may very be" is generally considered incorrect. A grammatically correct alternative is "may very well be".

What are some alternatives to "may very be"?

Instead of "may very be", you can use phrases such as "might very well be", "could very well be", or "may indeed be".

Is "may very be" ever appropriate in formal writing?

No, "may very be" is not considered appropriate for formal writing. Always opt for grammatically correct alternatives like "may very well be" or similar phrases.

How does "may very well be" differ from "may very be"?

"May very well be" is the grammatically correct and widely accepted form, indicating a strong possibility. "May very be" is not standard English and should be avoided.