as a main rule

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "as a main rule" is not commonly used in written English and may sound awkward to some readers.
It can be used when stating a general principle or guideline that is typically followed. Example: "As a main rule, we encourage all employees to submit their reports by Friday to ensure timely processing."

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Furthermore, assets which have a certain personal, sentimental value to a foreigner will not, as a main rule, be seized unless they have [considerable] value".

Independent

In Norway, the provision of the patient's right to decide is incorporated in the Patients- and Users Rights Act [ 18], which states that as a main rule health care can only be provided with the patient's consent unless a legal authority exists, or there are other valid grounds for providing health care without consent.

BMC Geriatrics

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

It first reviews the history of GMP and essential prerequisites, as well as the main rules to fulfil compliance.

Regulatory Affairs for Biomaterials and Medical Devices

The main rule being that as long as the weather allows it, everyone must co-exist in the buff.

Vice

As Mr. Ruoho says, his main rule of thumb is not to mess up your ingredients.

The New York Times - Travel

1: The main rule of eating right: get as much vegetables as possible.

WikiHow

At Noisebridge, a hacker space in San Francisco, even non-members can come and tinker as long as they comply with the group's main rule: to be "excellent" to each other.

The Economist

Together with rule languages, it serves as a main knowledge representation formalism for the Semantic Web.

Vietnam Journal of Computer Science

The principal agent serves as a main agent, which facilitates the choice of relevant rules which have been extracted by MR-Agent and QM-Agent.

Vietnam Journal of Computer Science

The main rule then?

The New York Times

The main rule now?

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When you intend to convey that a principle is generally followed, consider using the more common and readily understood phrase "as a general rule" instead of "as a main rule".

Common error

While "as a main rule" isn't grammatically incorrect, it's not as idiomatic as other options. Overusing it can make your writing sound stilted or unnatural; vary your phrasing to maintain a natural flow.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "as a main rule" functions as an adverbial phrase. It modifies a verb or clause, indicating a general condition or principle that applies. Ludwig AI suggests it might sound awkward, but examples show it can be used to introduce a typical condition or procedure.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "as a main rule" serves to introduce a general principle or guideline. However, as Ludwig AI points out, it's not as commonly used as alternatives like "as a general rule". While grammatically correct, its infrequent usage may make it sound somewhat awkward. Examples from Ludwig demonstrate its use in contexts ranging from news reports to scientific publications, yet its rarity suggests that writers should consider more common alternatives for clarity and flow. Using more idiomatic expressions enhances the naturalness of writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

as a general rule

This is a more common and widely accepted alternative, emphasizing the generality of the rule.

generally speaking

This phrase introduces a generalization or rule that may have exceptions.

as a primary principle

This alternative emphasizes the importance of the rule being a guiding principle.

in most cases

This alternative highlights that the rule applies to the majority of situations.

by and large

Similar to "generally speaking", this indicates a broad application of a rule.

for the most part

This suggests that the rule is true in the majority of instances.

as a standard practice

This emphasizes that the rule is a customary way of doing things.

typically

This single word indicates that something usually happens in a certain way, acting as a rule.

ordinarily

This suggests a common or expected course of events, similar to a rule.

usually

This single word indicates what commonly occurs, implying a rule-like behavior.

FAQs

What does "as a main rule" mean?

The phrase "as a main rule" suggests a principal guideline or standard practice that is typically followed, but it is not as common as alternatives like "as a general rule".

Is it better to say "as a main rule" or "as a general rule"?

While both phrases convey a similar meaning, "as a general rule" is more common and widely accepted in English. "As a main rule" may sound less natural to some readers.

How can I rephrase "as a main rule" in a sentence?

You can replace "as a main rule" with phrases like "typically", "ordinarily", or "in most cases" to achieve a similar meaning.

In what contexts might I use "as a main rule"?

"As a main rule" can be used in contexts where you want to state a primary guideline, such as in policy documents or instructions. However, consider whether a more common phrase like "as a standard practice" would be more appropriate.