Learn English – “Why might that be?” meaning

meaning

What does it mean- "why might that be? " This is the complete sentence:If America’s universities are indeed poor value for money, why might that be?

Best Answer

You seem confused; why might that be?

Well, you might be confused because you are not sure what "that" refers to. In the above case, "that" refers to the whole first clause: "You seem confused". In the example you gave, "that" refers to the whole first clause: If American universities are indeed poor value for [the] money"

On the other hand, you might be confused as to why the sentence ends with a question. In the example given, it is likely a rhetorical question, which the author himself will answer in subsequent text, rather than a real question, which would call for a response from you, the reader.

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