possibly because of this

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "possibly because of this" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to suggest a reason or explanation for something that may not be certain or definitive. Example: "The project was delayed, possibly because of this unexpected issue that arose last week."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

15 human-written examples

Despite, or possibly because of, this inheritance, Carrère's imagination is anything but tranquil, or bourgeois.

The Guardian - Books

The UK, where iZettle is running a trial, never had Visa as part of its service — possibly because of this ongoing issue.

TechCrunch

Possibly because of this non-canonical combination, while some native speakers "correctly" chose needs as an associate for insufficient, others did not.

Asian-Pacific Journal of Second and Foreign Language Education

Quite possibly because of this conflict, their model fits only to a subset of experimental data, e.g., agrees fairly well with Al2O3 nanofluid data, but fails to fit to CuO nanofluid data.

Nanoscale Research Letters

The dispute affects some 15,000 of the 50,000 merchants that are already using iZettle, iZettle CEO Jacob de Geer told TechCrunch, because Sweden did not get included in Visa's decision, and iZettle never included Visa in its UK trial, possibly because of this situation.

TechCrunch

[Backstory: As iOS 6 users know (and those who are on iOS 5 but have yet to change possibly because of this issue), in the latest version of Apple's mobile operating system, the company dropped Google Maps for its native mapping service in favor of a hybrid of third-party sourced and Apple-created data, which many have found to be more than lacking in comprehensiveness.].

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

45 human-written examples

No clear peaks were observed for general mastitis, possibly because of the composition of this trait.

Genetics, Selection, Evolution

Haynes et al. [ 21] showed that there are many ways to perform interventions for adherence, but few studies exist about how to do it, possibly because of the complexity of this aspect.

BMC Pulmonary Medicine

With chloroform, the acrylic polymer was the major surface constituent, possibly because of the high evaporation rate of this solvent.

Polymer

Melanopsichium pennsylvanicum showed the highest percentage of positively selected genes among the Ustilaginales pathogens, possibly because of the huge host jump of this pathogen from grasses to a dicot host (Sharma et al. 2014).

Genome Biology and Evolution

The mitochondrial phylogenetic analyses supported the existence of a seventh isolated lineage, J. Awlime, however clustering analysis and the nuclear phylogeny did not support the distinctiveness of this population, possibly because of the small sampling size.

BMC Evolutionary Biology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "possibly because of this" to introduce a tentative explanation, acknowledging that other factors may also be involved. It adds nuance to your reasoning.

Common error

Avoid starting multiple consecutive sentences with "possibly because of this". Overuse can make your writing sound repetitive and hesitant. Vary your sentence structure and causal connectors to maintain reader engagement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "possibly because of this" functions as a causal connector, linking a preceding statement with a potential reason or explanation. As confirmed by Ludwig, it's a grammatically correct way to introduce a tentative cause-and-effect relationship. Examples in Ludwig show its use in both scientific and general contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

60%

News & Media

30%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "possibly because of this" is a grammatically sound causal connector that introduces a tentative explanation. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's suitable for both scientific and general writing. While most common in scientific and news contexts, it’s essential to vary your sentence structure to avoid overuse. Consider alternatives like "conceivably due to this" or "perhaps owing to this" for nuanced expression. Remember that the best alternative will always depend on the specific context and the degree of certainty you wish to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

conceivably due to this

Replaces "possibly because" with "conceivably due to", emphasizing the potential or hypothetical nature of the cause.

potentially as a result of this

Substitutes "because" with "as a result", highlighting the outcome or consequence of the stated cause.

perhaps owing to this

Replaces "possibly because" with "perhaps owing to", offering a more formal and nuanced way to express a potential reason.

maybe attributable to this

Uses "attributable to" instead of "because of", suggesting that the effect can be assigned or linked to the stated cause.

it could be ascribed to this

Presents a passive construction indicating that the effect might be attributed to the cause, providing a more indirect tone.

it's potentially on account of this

Replaces "because of" with "on account of", suggesting the given cause is the reason for something.

it might stem from this

Substitutes "because of" with "stem from", indicating the origin or source of the effect.

it's plausibly due to this

Changes "possibly" to "plausibly", making the cause seem more believable and reasonable.

this could explain why

Presents the cause as an explanation for something, rather than a direct reason.

one possible reason is this

Frames the cause as one of several possibilities, rather than the sole reason.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "possibly because of this" to sound more formal?

For a more formal tone, consider using alternatives such as "perhaps owing to this" or "maybe attributable to this", which convey a similar meaning with a more sophisticated vocabulary.

What's a simpler way to say "possibly because of this"?

If you want a simpler phrasing, try "maybe because of this" or "perhaps because of this". These options are more direct and easier to understand in casual contexts.

Is "possibly because of this" always the best way to suggest a potential cause?

Not always. The best phrasing depends on the context and your desired level of certainty. "Conceivably due to this" implies a stronger possibility than "possibly because of this", while other alternatives may shift the focus to consequences or origins.

Can I use "possibly because of this" at the beginning of a sentence?

Yes, you can use "possibly because of this" at the beginning of a sentence to introduce a potential explanation. However, varying your sentence structure can improve readability. Consider alternatives like "one possible reason is this" to avoid repetition.