ENGLISH
REFERENCE

be attributed to sb

fixed phr..
C1 Advanced Oxford

fixed phr.. to say or believe that someone is the creator or cause of something.

fixed phr.. to ascribe a work, statement, or quality to a specific person as its source or author; typically used in passive constructions.


SIMPLE

This famous quote is often attributed to Albert Einstein.

CONTEXTUAL

The painting was originally attributed to a student, but experts now believe it is a Rembrandt.

COMPLEX

While the discovery is widely attributed to her, recent archival evidence suggests her assistant performed the primary calculations.

Usage

almost always used in the passive voice followed by the preposition 'to'.

Teaching tip

focus on the passive structure 'be attributed to' as it is the standard form in academic and journalistic writing for discussing authorship or credit.

Pitfall

The poem is attributed by him.The poem is attributed to him.the preposition 'to' is required to link the work to its creator, not 'by'.

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