Stem from means to come from or be caused by something: the delay stemmed from a missing document. The image is a plant: a stem grows from the root, and a problem grows from its cause. It works for good things too: her love of maps stems from walks with her grandfather.
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a problem / idea / difference stems from a cause; stemmed from; stemming from
- The delay stemmed from a missing document.
- Her interest in maps stems from the walks she took with her grandfather.
- Several errors stem from the same outdated instruction.
What changed
First versionThe confusion was stemmed from two different versions of the timetable.
RevisionThe confusion stemmed from two different versions of the timetable.
Because it means the same as was caused by, it's tempting to make it passive: was stemmed from. But stem from is an ordinary active verb: the confusion stemmed from. Drop was.
Be caused by is passive and needs be: was caused by. Stem from has no be: stemmed from. Lead to works in the opposite direction: a cause leads to a result, and a result stems from a cause.
Your turn
Complete the cause relationship: These differences stem ___ the way the data was collected.
Show the answer
from — The cause is introduced with from: stem from the way the data was collected. To belongs to lead to, which points the other way.
Explain where one of your hobbies, or a problem at work, came from.
My interest in old buildings stems from a school project about our town.
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