that could likely be

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "that could likely be" is correct and is used in written English.
You may use it when speaking of an event or occurrence that is plausible or possible. Example sentence: "The loud banging sound coming from the basement could likely be a rat knocking something over."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

18 human-written examples

Something that could likely be avoided with new citizenship.

The Guardian - Opinion

But instead of re-enacting their sexcapades on stage, the couple played the performance to the crowd, leading a call and response that could likely be heard miles away.

The Guardian - Music

By some estimates, it would take only a relatively modest 500,000 new jobs with decent wages to create economic stability for the Palestinians a goal that could likely be achieved in less than five years.

Harvard Business Review

Twelve reviews provided evidence for KTE strategies in the context of maternal, neonatal and child health, though not PTB specifically; seven reviews provided 'cross-cutting' evidence that could likely be generalised to PTB contexts.

Duke University

In particular, topic analysis of open-response questions might be valuable: while the Likert survey answers were quite univariate, the open-response questions showed clear actionable themes that could likely be aligned to a frameworks such as the Pedagogical Agents Conditions of Use Model (PACU) and Pedagogical Agents Levels of Design (PALD; Heidig and Clarebout 2011).

International Journal of STEM Education

All the sulphate concentration recorded for the hand-dug wells and the boreholes were below the WHO permissible limits for drinking water (400 mg/L) and that could likely be linked to the non existence of sulphides in the rock matrix of the study area.

Applied Water Science

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

42 human-written examples

What marketers might be missing, however, is that they could likely be sitting on a treasure trove of data and they have no idea.

Forbes

These observations indicated that Hfq could likely be required for Y. pestis survival and proliferation in mice.

Plosone

They not only produce a lower numbers of lateral roots (Fig.  7c), but these lateral roots were also much shorter (Fig.  7d), indicating that there could likely be a problem in cell elongation among these lateral roots.

BMC Plant Biology

These sculptures may look like "Finish Fetish" forbearers, but in reality they are readymades that could likely have been assembled from IKEA materials.

Huffington Post

The con is that the exhibit could likely be sold privately for more money, but that requires time, resources and shipping costs.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "that could likely be" when you want to suggest a plausible outcome without stating it as a certainty. It's best suited for situations where some evidence supports the possibility, but definitive proof is lacking.

Common error

Avoid using "that could likely be" when the outcome is already known or highly predictable. Using it in such cases weakens your statement and suggests unnecessary doubt.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "that could likely be" functions as a hedge, softening a statement and indicating a degree of uncertainty or possibility. As Ludwig AI explains, it's grammatically correct and used to express a plausible event.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

31%

News & Media

31%

Formal & Business

13%

Less common in

Academia

8%

Wiki

8%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "that could likely be" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression to indicate a plausible possibility. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and suitability for expressing uncertainty. It appears frequently in scientific, news, and business contexts. While slightly redundant, the phrase adds subtle emphasis on the plausibility of a suggested outcome. When writing, use it to hedge statements, avoiding overstatement or certainty where evidence is not definitive.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

that might likely be

Replaces "could" with "might", indicating a slightly weaker possibility.

that may likely be

Uses "may" instead of "could", also indicating a possibility, but with perhaps a slightly lower degree of confidence.

that would likely be

Substitutes "could" with "would", suggesting a hypothetical scenario or expectation.

that is reasonably likely to be

Adds emphasis to the likelihood, using "reasonably" as an intensifier.

that is probably going to be

Expresses a higher degree of probability, using "probably" instead of "likely".

that is expected to be

Indicates an anticipation or expectation, rather than just a possibility.

that has a good chance of being

Phrases the likelihood in terms of chance or opportunity.

that is quite possibly

Replaces "likely" with "quite possibly", indicating a notable degree of uncertainty.

that is highly probable

Expresses a greater level of certainty or likelihood.

that is apt to be

Uses the expression 'apt to be', indicating a natural tendency or inclination.

FAQs

How can I use "that could likely be" in a sentence?

Use "that could likely be" when expressing a possibility or a probable outcome. For instance, "The delay in the project's completion that could likely be attributed to unforeseen circumstances."

What are some alternatives to "that could likely be"?

You can use alternatives like "that might likely be", "that would likely be", or "that may likely be" depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

Is it redundant to say "that could likely be"? Why not just "that could be" or "that is likely"?

While "that could be" or "that is likely" are shorter, "that could likely be" adds a subtle emphasis on the plausibility of the outcome. The perceived redundancy is minimal and doesn't affect the clarity or correctness of the sentence.

What's the difference between "that could likely be" and "that will likely be"?

"That could likely be" expresses a possibility, while "that will likely be" suggests a higher degree of certainty or expectation. The former is used when the outcome is uncertain, while the latter is used when the outcome is highly probable.