a substantial portion of which

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a substantial portion of which" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to a significant part of something previously mentioned, often in formal or academic writing. Example: "The report highlighted several key findings, a substantial portion of which were based on recent studies."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

13 human-written examples

"This seems likely," Professor Schill said, "given that we are experiencing extremely high levels of immigration, a substantial portion of which is probably illegal".

The New York Times

But work is continuing in an additional 1,893 buildings, a substantial portion of which, Mr. Spencer estimated, remain without heat.

The New York Times

Its board authorized contributions of $900 million to replenish the fund, a "substantial portion" of which will consist of Honeywell stock, a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission said.

The New York Times

Given the payout, the bank said it would take a charge of roughly $22 million in the current quarter, adding "a substantial portion of which is an acceleration of future expenses".

The New York Times

The flights are a big moment for Boeing as it tries to realize the potential of the revolutionary plane, a substantial portion of which is made with lightweight plastic composites to save fuel.

The New York Times

The worldwide bitumen and heavy-oil reserves are estimated at over 6 trillion barrels, a substantial portion of which resides in Western Canada (Upreti et al. 2007).

Journal of Petroleum Exploration and Production Technology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

47 human-written examples

Personal contact with citizens seemed infeasible for a substantial portion of organizations, which is consistent with findings of a smaller scale dissemination study of an evidence-based PA promotion program for the elderly in community organizations [ 30].

BMC Public Health

Ms. Madoff has told friends that she has lost a substantial portion of her assets, which she invested with her uncle.

The New York Times

Because the drainage basin occupies a substantial portion of South China, which is under a temperate climate, more than 60% of the total precipitation within the drainage basin is discharged through the Yangtze River (Xu et al. 2010).

Progress in Earth and Planetary Science

Decades of molecular biology research have elucidated a substantial portion of this network, which is currently being reconstructed at a high level of detail that captures cellular processes such as transcriptional regulation, post-translational modification, transport, and complex formation in the formal and computable BioPAX format [ 3].

BMC Genomics

AT&T paid for a substantial portion of the promotional costs, which included advertising in airports and a public service announcement that ran during Sunday morning talk shows, as well as an internal push to its 300,000 employees.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a substantial portion of which", ensure that the noun it refers back to is clear and unambiguous to avoid confusion. For example: "The budget was allocated to several departments, a substantial portion of which went to research and development."

Common error

Avoid using "a substantial portion of which" in restrictive clauses where "that" is more appropriate. "Which" introduces non-essential information, while "that" introduces essential information. Incorrect: "The funds, a substantial portion of which was mismanaged, were recovered." Correct: "The funds, a substantial portion of which was mismanaged, were recovered."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a substantial portion of which" functions as a prepositional phrase that modifies a noun phrase. It introduces additional information about a part of something previously mentioned, indicating that this part is significant. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

38%

News & Media

35%

Formal & Business

27%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a substantial portion of which" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase to denote a significant part of a previously mentioned entity. Predominantly found in science, news media, and formal business contexts, it serves to highlight the importance or size of that particular section. Ludwig AI confirms that the phrase is correct and provides numerous examples demonstrating its usage. While alternatives like "a significant share of which" exist, the original phrase maintains a formal and authoritative tone. When employing this phrase, ensuring clarity in the noun it modifies and considering the non-restrictive nature of "which" are key to avoiding common errors.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a significant share of which

Replaces "substantial portion" with "significant share", implying a noteworthy amount.

a considerable amount of which

Substitutes "substantial portion" with "considerable amount", suggesting a sizable quantity.

a large segment of which

Replaces "portion" with "segment", indicating a distinct part of a whole.

a major fraction of which

Uses "major fraction" instead of "substantial portion", emphasizing the size of the part.

a good percentage of which

Replaces "substantial portion" with "good percentage", quantifying the amount.

a notable quantity of which

Substitutes "substantial portion" with "notable quantity", highlighting the importance of the amount.

a sizable component of which

Replaces "portion" with "component", focusing on the part's role in the whole.

a considerable fraction of which

Substitutes "substantial" with "considerable" and "portion" with "fraction", offering a slightly different tone.

a primary division of which

Changes "substantial portion" to "primary division", focusing on it being a key part.

an appreciable quantity of which

Replaces "substantial portion" with "appreciable quantity", indicating that it is enough to be perceived or measured.

FAQs

How can I use "a substantial portion of which" in a sentence?

Use "a substantial portion of which" to refer back to a previously mentioned noun, indicating that a significant part of it is being discussed. For instance: "The project had several phases, "a substantial portion of which" focused on data analysis."

What are some alternatives to "a substantial portion of which"?

Alternatives include "a significant share of which", "a considerable amount of which", or "a large segment of which". The best choice depends on the specific context and the nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to use "that" or "which" with "a substantial portion of"?

"Which" is generally preferred with "a substantial portion of" because it usually introduces non-restrictive (non-essential) information. If the information is essential, consider rephrasing the sentence for clarity. Using "that" is technically grammatical if the information is restrictive, but less common.

What's the difference between "a substantial portion of which" and "a majority of which"?

"A substantial portion of which" indicates a significant amount, but not necessarily more than half. "A majority of which" implies more than half. Therefore, "a majority of which" always represents a larger quantity than "a substantial portion of which".