English UsageGrammar guide

Refer To: Standard Pattern

Refer To: Standard Pattern records the directly documented Cambridge construction and keeps the guidance bounded to the evidenced complement pattern rather than inventing a broader prohibition.

Quick answer

Cambridge documents “refer to” for mentioning or relating to someone or something and for consulting a source for information.

Key details

Confusion Familyusage-construction
Rule Familyphrasal-verb construction
Termsrefer to

Further guidance

Construction

Cambridge documents refer to for mentioning, relating to, or consulting someone or something, depending on context.

Style Boundary

This page records the supported refer-to construction while keeping its several documented senses separate from other refer patterns such as refer someone to a specialist.

Sources and evidence

Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.

  1. refer to someone/something — Cambridge Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge University Press · Cambridge dictionary evidence for the phrasal-verb construction refer to someone or something.

Related guides

English Usage

Adhere To: Standard Pattern

Adhere To: Standard Pattern records the directly documented Cambridge construction and keeps the guidance bounded to the evidenced complement pattern rather than inventing a broader prohibition.

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