a majority of evidence

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a majority of evidence" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing the amount or weight of evidence in support of a claim or argument, indicating that most of the evidence points in a particular direction. Example: "In the trial, a majority of evidence presented by the prosecution clearly indicated the defendant's guilt."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

According to the audit: "A majority of evidence demonstrates that the Mexican American Studies Department's instruction is NOT designed primarily for pupils of a particular ethnic group.

Huffington Post

A majority of evidence demonstrates that the Mexican American Studies Department's instruction is NOT designed primarily for pupils of a particular ethnic group.

Huffington Post

A majority of evidence for selection within the glycolytic enzymes, and its correlation with fitness, has been accumulated for the dimeric enzyme phosphoglucose isomerase (PGI; EC 5.3.1.9), which is not a rate-limiting step in glycolysis [ 10].

BMC Evolutionary Biology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

However, it is important to note that a majority of studies showing evidence of effectiveness used small sample sizes with only two studies [ 22, 28] having large sample sizes, thereby raising questions about the delivery of these interventions to scale.

BMC Health Services Research

This is likely true for a majority of genes, given evidence discussed by these authors that most gene rearrangements occurred in the symbiont, and is also supported by our estimations that about 75% of the genes from chromosome I in V. cholerae are in syntenic fragments with E. coli.

BMC Evolutionary Biology

According to a majority of the committee, the evidence available suggests that he did not.

The Economist

A majority of patients presented without evidence of distant metastases (92.5%).

Annals of Surgical Oncology

52 A majority of those patients had evidence of disease activity within the past year despite 29% being on biologic therapy for a median of 4 years.

Clinical Epidemiology

The latest duplication is, however, only a substantiated hypothesis; an alternative explanation, disfavored by the majority of evidence, is that the duplication is an artifact of incorrect genome assembly.

BMC Evolutionary Biology

A major limitation of this review was that the majority of evidence pertains to CNV caused by PM, however, this reflects the available evidence base in the literature.

BMJ Open

Despite this, the majority of evidence suggests that SP-A is decreased in ALI.

BMC Pulmonary Medicine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a majority of evidence", ensure that the remaining evidence, if any, is either negligible or adequately addressed to avoid weakening your argument. Highlight the strength and reliability of the sources contributing to the majority.

Common error

Avoid using "a majority of evidence" when the evidence is merely suggestive or inconclusive. Ensure that the evidence truly represents a significant and compelling portion of the total available evidence. Be honest, don't claim "a majority" when evidence is sparse.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a majority of evidence" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as the subject or object of a sentence. It signifies that the greater part of available information or proof points toward a specific conclusion. Ludwig AI confirms its usability.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

60%

News & Media

35%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a majority of evidence" is grammatically correct and functions as a noun phrase to indicate that most available information supports a claim. It is commonly used in both scientific and news contexts, maintaining a neutral to formal tone. While alternatives like "most of the evidence" exist, understanding the nuances of each can improve the clarity and impact of your writing. As Ludwig AI indicates, the phrase is usable and easily understood in a variety of contexts. Remember to avoid overstating the case when using this phrase; ensure that the evidence truly represents a significant and compelling portion of the total available evidence.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

most of the evidence

Focuses on the quantity of evidence, indicating that the largest portion supports a particular claim.

the bulk of the evidence

Emphasizes the large quantity of evidence supporting a claim.

the preponderance of evidence

Highlights the greater weight or persuasiveness of the evidence.

the greater part of the evidence

Indicates that the larger portion of the evidence points in a certain direction.

the main body of evidence

Suggests that the core or principal part of the evidence supports something.

a substantial amount of evidence

Highlights the considerable quantity of evidence available.

a significant portion of evidence

Emphasizes that a notable part of the evidence supports a claim.

the weight of evidence

Focuses on the overall persuasiveness and impact of the evidence.

the balance of evidence

Implies a comparison between opposing pieces of evidence, with one side outweighing the other.

the lion's share of evidence

Conveys that the largest and most important part of the evidence supports a particular view.

FAQs

How can I use "a majority of evidence" in a sentence?

You can use "a majority of evidence" to indicate that most of the available evidence supports a particular claim or conclusion. For example, "A majority of evidence suggests that climate change is primarily caused by human activities."

What are some alternatives to using "a majority of evidence"?

Alternatives include "most of the evidence", "the bulk of the evidence", or "the preponderance of evidence". The best choice depends on the specific context and the nuance you want to convey.

Is it more accurate to say "a majority of evidence" or "the majority of evidence"?

Both phrases are grammatically correct and largely interchangeable. "The majority of evidence" might imply a more comprehensive or definitive collection of evidence, while "a majority of evidence" can refer to a specific subset or portion of evidence under consideration.

When is it inappropriate to use the phrase "a majority of evidence"?

It's inappropriate to use "a majority of evidence" if the supporting evidence is weak, inconclusive, or represents only a small fraction of the total evidence available. In such cases, it would be more accurate to say there is "some evidence" or "limited evidence".