5 of which

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "5 of which" is correct and commonly used in written English.
It is typically used to refer to a specific subset or portion of a larger group or quantity. Example: "There were 10 boxes on the shelf, 5 of which were filled with books."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

54 human-written examples

Robert Ryan, the corporation's president, said letters had been sent to 99 banks in the region, 5 of which had expressed interest.

The New York Times

Williams's mother, Mary, who owns 13 guns herself, 5 of which are handguns, said she first taught her son to shoot when he was 8.

The New York Times - Sports

Tells about his proposed "Twentieth-Century Cycle," a series of 20 plays (5 of which are completed) dealing with the black experience in America.

The New Yorker

"It took us about 10 days, 5 of which he was gone on a business trip," she said.

The New York Times

At the 2000 Games in Sydney, the Russian team won 15 medals, 5 of which were gold.

Encyclopedia Britannica

DreamIt has selected 15 companies, 5 of which are participating in the newly launched DreamIt Israel.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

6 human-written examples

The salary will be £141, 834, 5% of which will be performance-related.

BBC

I'm also planning on buying the excellent Nosy Crow's Refuge, £5 of which will go to War Child.

The Guardian - Books

The entire muscle is controlled by 10 12 motor neurons, 4 5 of which exclusively supply fast muscle fibers.

Journal of Insect Physiology

There were 58 association findings with P values smaller than 10−5, of which 46 SNPs were unique.

Human Genetics

Forty-six studinitiallyally were identified, 8– 53 5 of which were excluded 49– 53 because they reported duplicate data.

Cancer

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "5 of which", ensure the antecedent noun is clearly defined in the preceding clause to avoid ambiguity. For example, instead of "Several options were available, 5 of which were expensive", specify: "We considered ten options, 5 of which were too expensive."

Common error

Avoid using "5 of which" when the total number of items is unclear or does not logically support the claim. For instance, don't say "Some books were on the table, 5 of which were old" unless it's established that there were at least five books.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "5 of which" functions as a relative clause, specifically a partitive construction. It indicates a specific subset from a previously mentioned group. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's a standard way to express a portion of a larger set. Examples include: "DreamIt has selected 15 companies, "5 of which" are participating in the newly launched DreamIt Israel."

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

54%

News & Media

38%

Encyclopedias

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "5 of which" is a grammatically correct and commonly used relative clause that serves to specify a subset of a previously mentioned group. As Ludwig AI confirms, its function is to provide quantitative detail, typically in neutral to formal registers. It is most frequently found in scientific and news contexts. When writing, ensure the antecedent is clear and the total number is logical. Alternatives include "five of those" or "five among them", but the choice depends on the desired tone and sentence structure. The examples provided by Ludwig demonstrate its versatile application across different fields.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

five of those

Uses "those" instead of "which", creating a slightly less formal tone.

five among them

Replaces "of which" with "among them", changing the sentence structure slightly.

five from these

Substitutes "of which" with "from these", resulting in a more direct phrasing.

five out of these

Uses "out of these" instead of "of which", adding a more explicit quantifier.

five that are

Simplifies the phrase, omitting "of which" for a more concise statement.

five included

Shortens the expression, focusing on the inclusion of the specified number.

five specimens

Omits relative pronoun for brevity; assumes preceding context establishes larger group.

five in number

Emphasizes the quantity using "in number" for clarity.

a quintet that

Uses "a quintet" to specify five, adding a stylistic variation.

five components

Replaces 'of which' using the term 'components' to identify from a large number of entries

FAQs

How do I use "5 of which" in a sentence?

Use "5 of which" to refer back to a specific number of items from a previously mentioned group. For example: "I bought ten apples, "5 of which" were green."

What are some alternatives to "5 of which"?

You can use phrases like "five of those", "five among them", or "five out of these" depending on the context. The best alternative depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "5 of who" instead of "5 of which"?

No, use "who" only when referring to people. Use "which" when referring to things. For example, "I interviewed 10 candidates, "5 of whom" were qualified" (people) versus "I had 10 tasks, "5 of which" were urgent" (things).

Can I start a sentence with "5 of which"?

While grammatically possible, starting a sentence with ""5 of which"" can sound awkward. It's usually better to restructure the sentence to include the main clause first. For example, instead of "5 of which were damaged, the books arrived yesterday", try "The books that arrived yesterday had damages, 5 of which were major".