B2–C1 · CLF · CLF068

[X] may have contributed to [Y], but it was not the only cause

A reusable frame from “Cause, effect, and consequence”. Explain how one development leads to another.

EN · English[X] may have contributed to [Y], but it was not the only cause.
DE · German[X] mag zu [Y] beigetragen haben, war aber nicht die einzige Ursache.

Try variations4 · more examples

  1. RU · Translation

    Новая настройка по умолчанию могла повлиять на снижение завершения, но это была не единственная причина.

    EN · English

     The new default  may  have  contributed to the drop in completion, but  it  was not the only  cause.

    DE · German

     Die neue Voreinstellung  mag zu dem Rückgang der Abschlussrate  beigetragen  haben,  war aber nicht die einzige Ursache.

  2. RU · Translation

    Повышенная нагрузка могла повлиять на задержку, но это была не единственная причина.

    EN · English

     Higher load  may  have  contributed to the latency, but  it  was not the only  cause.

    DE · German

     Die höhere Last  mag zu der Latenz  beigetragen  haben,  war aber nicht die einzige Ursache.

  3. RU · Translation

    Изменение выборки могло повлиять на наблюдаемое различие, но это была не единственная причина.

    EN · English

     The sampling change  may  have  contributed to the observed difference, but  it  was not the only  cause.

    DE · German

     Die Änderung der Stichprobe  mag zu dem beobachteten Unterschied  beigetragen  haben,  war aber nicht die einzige Ursache.

  4. RU · Translation

    Слабая документация могла повлиять на объём обращений в поддержку, но это была не единственная причина.

    EN · English

     Poor documentation  may  have  contributed to the support volume, but  it  was not the only  cause.

    DE · German

     Unzureichende Dokumentation  mag zu dem Supportaufkommen  beigetragen  haben,  war aber nicht die einzige Ursache.

Use this move when you want to…

Reasoning move · Cause

Cause

What it does

Acknowledge a plausible causal contribution without claiming that one factor explains the whole outcome.

When to use it

Use it when evidence supports X as one contributor but the outcome is clearly multi-causal.

Common mistake

Do not use may have contributed as empty hedging; there should be a plausible mechanism or evidence for X.

Pattern graph

Continue with nearby patterns

Related reasoning patterns4

Nearby structures let you perform the same reasoning move in a different form.

  1. [X] leads to [Y], which in turn leads to [Z].Cause · same reasoning move · same study set · related logic
  2. [X] results from a combination of [Y] and [Z].Cause · same reasoning move · same study set
  3. If [X] were the main cause, we would expect [Y]; if [Z] were, we would expect [W].Cause · same reasoning move · related logic
  4. The link from [X] to [Y] only makes sense if [Z] happens in between.Cause · same reasoning move · related logic

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