might have excluded

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "might have excluded" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to suggest that something was possibly left out or not included in a previous context or statement. Example: "The report might have excluded some important data that could affect the final analysis."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

34 human-written examples

His faith, enunciated in that singular Carolina stage English, was unlined by the doctrinal boundaries that might have excluded either wing.

The New Yorker

In all, 10 soldiers age 50 or older have died in the Iraq war, some of medical ailments that might have excluded them from earlier conflicts, others under fire in the heat of battle.

The New York Times

However, the chemostat approach might have excluded the detection of subpopulations with different protein contents because this 'growth rate filter' was installed.

AMB Express

Also, the models only predict where the conditions under which the species lives today occurred at some previous time, not whether the species in fact occurred there (i.e., a competitor might have excluded the species from some area).

Evolution: Education and Outreach

Thanks to their number and aggressiveness, T. albipes workers might have excluded native dominant arboreal ants from the coast (present inland, they were absent from the coast).

Plosone

Though by using high cutoff (>3x) values we might have excluded a certain number of transcripts cycling with lower amplitude, it is evident that in tomato, like in Arabidopsis, diurnal rhythms in gene expression affect a large portion of the transcriptome [36].

Plosone

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

26 human-written examples

Such a compact, however, might not have excluded their relationship from having a sexual dimension as well.

Wikipedia

Although the familiarity with the topic aided in the construction of the questionnaire, this same familiarity and the authors' pre-understandings might also have excluded important questions.

BMC Health Services Research

The presence or absence of chloroplast transit peptides might similarly have excluded some other genes from a C4 function, but this mechanism alone is insufficient to explain the observed convergent pattern, because multiple genes with the required subcellular expression for C4 photosynthesis exist in all other gene families (supplementary fig. S3, Supplementary Material online).

Genome Biology and Evolution

We might also erroneously have excluded some of the participants because of over-reporting of clinical symptoms used as screening tool for inclusion.

BMC Infectious Diseases

We found that 10% of our asymptomatic sample had what some ocular professionals would define as 'clinical convergence problems', but because we excluded significant heterophorias, and because students who already suspected they might have a problem may have excluded themselves from volunteering, this figure cannot be used to give any generalisable prevalence data.

British Journal of Ophthalmology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "might have excluded", ensure the context clearly indicates what could have been left out and why. This avoids ambiguity and strengthens your argument.

Common error

Avoid using "might have excluded" when you have definitive proof that something was excluded. In such cases, use stronger verbs like "definitely excluded" or "intentionally omitted".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "might have excluded" functions as a modal verb phrase expressing a possibility or speculation about a past action. It suggests that something or someone could have been left out or omitted from a particular context or situation. As Ludwig AI points out, the phrase is grammatically correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

73%

News & Media

19%

Formal & Business

3%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "might have excluded" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase that expresses a possibility of omission. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's suitable for various contexts, particularly in scientific, academic, and news-related content. While "might have excluded" is prevalent across these source types, it is less frequent in general and informal writing. When using this phrase, ensure clarity about what was potentially left out and avoid overstating the certainty of the exclusion. Alternatives such as ""could have omitted"" or ""may have omitted"" can provide similar meanings with subtle variations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

could have omitted

Indicates a possibility that something was left out, similar to "might have excluded" but uses 'omitted' instead of 'excluded'.

may have omitted

Similar to "might have excluded" but uses 'may' and 'omitted', suggesting a slightly lower degree of certainty.

possibly omitted

Emphasizes the possibility of omission, similar to "might have excluded" but without the modal verb.

potentially left out

Uses 'left out' instead of 'excluded', implying a more informal or unintentional exclusion.

conceivably overlooked

Suggests that something may have been missed unintentionally, adding a nuance of oversight.

perhaps not included

Rephrases the idea as a lack of inclusion, maintaining a similar level of formality.

possibly not considered

Suggests that something wasn't taken into account, focusing on the lack of consideration.

may have been missed

Focuses on the possibility of something being missed rather than actively excluded.

could have been missed

Similar to 'may have been missed', suggesting the possibility of oversight with 'could'.

potentially disregarded

Implies a possible dismissal or neglect of something, adding a negative connotation.

FAQs

How can I use "might have excluded" in a sentence?

Use "might have excluded" to suggest a possibility that something was left out. For example, "The study design "might have excluded" certain participants, affecting the results."

What are some alternatives to "might have excluded"?

Alternatives include "could have omitted", "may have omitted", or "possibly overlooked" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

What's the difference between "might have excluded" and "definitely excluded"?

"Might have excluded" suggests a possibility, while "definitely excluded" indicates certainty. Use "definitely excluded" when you have proof of exclusion; otherwise, ""might have excluded"" is more appropriate.

When is it inappropriate to use "might have excluded"?

It's inappropriate to use ""might have excluded"" when you know for certain that something was included. It is also not suitable when expressing a direct instruction or command.