this could be contributed to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "this could be contributed to" is not correct in standard English.
The correct expression would be "this could be attributed to." Example: "The increase in sales this quarter could be attributed to our new marketing strategy."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

This could be contributed to the reverse compressive residual stress in HAC.

Surface and Coatings Technology

This could be contributed to the fluoride content of GC MI Paste plus augmenting its effect.

Progress in Orthodontics

And this could be contributed to the densification of the film and reduction of defects after annealing.

Nanoscale Research Letters

This could be contributed to C2/3 discectomy and solid fusion.

BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders

This could be contributed to the fact that the GLA group itself was a heterogeneous group, consisting of patients being treated with either basal-only and basal-bolus/plus regimens, the latter of whom were sicker at baseline and could therefore have incurred a higher follow-up cost.

ClinicoEconomics and Outcomes Research

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

Analysts believe this could be contributing to splits within the Islamist militants.

BBC

"Things like this could be contributing to the decline in human reproductive potential," Boockfor says.

Science Magazine

PSA testing is less common in more rural areas than in capital cities throughout Australia [ 38], and this could be contributing to the lower incidence in remote areas.

BMC Cancer

As high progesterone levels are positively associated with embryo survival [ 60, 93], it is therefore possible that the LF animals are experiencing low local progesterone concentrations and ultimately, this could be contributing to their low conception rates.

BMC Genomics

People that are obviously sick should also be avoided, since this could be contributing to your eczema.

WikiHow

This result could be contributed to the capacity of pH to control as well as other factors such as the mixing of nutrition and the efficiency of oxygen transfer with different culture facilities of 5-l bioreactor, micro-bioreactor and l shake flask.

Bioresources and Bioprocessing

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "this could be contributed to" in formal writing. Opt for grammatically correct alternatives such as "this could be attributed to", "this may be due to", or "this can be ascribed to".

Common error

Do not confuse the verbs 'contribute' and 'attribute'. 'Contribute' means to give or supply something, while 'attribute' means to regard something as being caused by someone or something. The phrase "this could be contributed to" incorrectly uses 'contributed' in place of 'attributed'.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "this could be contributed to" functions as a connector attempting to express a causal relationship, suggesting a potential reason or factor influencing a particular outcome. However, according to Ludwig AI, the phrasing is not grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

60%

News & Media

20%

Wiki

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "this could be contributed to" is grammatically incorrect and should be avoided in formal writing. According to Ludwig AI, the proper phrasing would be something like "this could be attributed to". Although some examples of the incorrect usage exist, they are relatively rare and do not establish the phrase as standard English. The intended meaning is to suggest a cause or factor influencing an outcome; therefore, using grammatically sound alternatives such as "this may be due to", or "this can be ascribed to" will improve clarity and credibility.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

this could be attributed to

Replaces the incorrect 'contributed to' with the correct 'attributed to' to indicate causation.

this may be due to

Offers a more common and grammatically sound way to express a potential cause.

this might be ascribed to

Uses 'ascribed to' as a formal alternative to 'attributed to'.

this can be explained by

Focuses on providing an explanation for something.

this is possibly a result of

Highlights the potential consequence of something.

this stems from

Indicates that something originates from a particular source or cause.

this is a consequence of

Directly states that something is the result of a specific cause.

this arises from

Suggests that something emerges or originates from a specific cause.

this is linked to

Indicates a connection or association between two things, implying a possible causal relationship.

this is related to

Offers a general connection between two things, suggesting a potential causal relationship without explicitly stating it.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say "this could be contributed to"?

The correct way to express this idea is to say "this could be "attributed to"". Other options include "this may be "due to"" or "this can be "ascribed to"".

What is the difference between "contribute" and "attribute"?

"Contribute" means to give or supply something, while "attribute" means to regard something as being caused by someone or something. Therefore, it's more accurate to say something is "attributed to" a cause rather than "contributed to" it.

Is "this could be contributed to" grammatically correct?

No, "this could be contributed to" is not grammatically correct. The correct phrasing is "this could be "attributed to"".

When should I use "this could be attributed to"?

Use "this could be "attributed to"" when you want to suggest a cause or reason for something. For example, "The company's success this year could be attributed to its innovative marketing strategies."