at their main

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "at their main" is not correct and does not convey a clear meaning in written English.
It is unclear when to use it due to its lack of grammatical correctness and context. Example: "The team gathered at their main office for the meeting." (Note: "main office" is the correct term.)

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

43 human-written examples

She and Tucker-Ray eventually arrived at their main issue: trust-building.

The New Yorker

Similarly, some hospital systems have discontinued particular services at their main campuses.

Harvard Business Review

First, this survey measures what workers were doing at their main job (the job where they worked the most hours).

University of California, Berkeley

Dr. Frankel, a native of Brooklyn, lived with his wife and two children at their main home in Connecticut.

The New York Times

Corinthians supporters during a local futsal championship at their main headquarters in the Bom Retiro neighborhood in São Paulo.

The New Yorker

At their main temple in Lalesh, religious elders with conical wool felt hats framed by long braids hold court while young men tend fires.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

17 human-written examples

The police are then shown at their Main Street station.

The New Yorker

At least their main defensive recruit, Timm Klose, brought solidity at the back after joining from Wolfsburg for £8m in January, but his season-ending injury in April opened up the holes in the defence again.

The Guardian - Sport

At first, their main demand was for increased security.

BBC

"Whichever way you look at it their main intention was not necessarily all that benign for Aboriginal interests.

The Guardian

No one knows how the Maoists will fare, but there is wide expectation that at least their main leaders will be a part of the new government.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When referring to a primary location or objective, use clearer terms like "primary", "central", or "principal" to avoid ambiguity. For instance, prefer "at their primary location" over "at their main".

Common error

Avoid using "main" directly after a preposition like "at". Instead, use it as an adjective before a noun (e.g., "at their main office"). The phrase "at their main" is grammatically awkward.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "at their main" functions as a prepositional phrase aiming to specify a location or aspect. However, as noted by Ludwig AI, the construction is grammatically questionable and lacks clear meaning, often requiring further context or modification to be fully understood.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

54%

Academia

23%

Science

19%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Wiki

2%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "at their main" appears in various sources, Ludwig AI flags it as grammatically incorrect and lacking clear meaning. It's intended to specify a primary location or aspect but is often awkward and requires clarification. Better alternatives include "at their primary location" or "at their headquarters". The usage context varies from news and media to academia, but its effectiveness in formal writing is questionable. For improved clarity and correctness, it's recommended to use more precise and grammatically sound alternatives.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

at their primary location

Replaces "main" with "primary" to clarify the location being referenced.

at their headquarters

Specifies a central base of operations or administration.

at their principal site

Uses "principal" to emphasize the most important or prominent site.

at their central office

Indicates the main administrative office.

regarding their main objective

Focuses on the primary goal or purpose.

concerning their key focus

Highlights the main area of attention or emphasis.

related to their chief concern

Addresses the most important issue or worry.

in relation to their core function

Refers to the essential or fundamental purpose.

pertaining to their major aspect

Highlights the most significant feature or element.

about their central theme

Focuses on the overarching subject or idea.

FAQs

How can I correctly use a phrase similar to "at their main"?

Instead of "at their main", use more precise phrases like "at their "primary location"", "at their "headquarters"", or "at their "principal site"" to ensure clarity.

What are some alternatives to "at their main" when referring to a key objective?

When discussing a key objective, consider using phrases like "regarding their "main objective"", "concerning their "key focus"", or "related to their "chief concern"".

Is "at their main" grammatically correct?

The phrase "at their main" is generally considered grammatically awkward. It's better to use "at their "main office"" or "at their "primary location"" for better clarity and correctness.

What is the difference between "at their main" and "at their primary"?

"At their primary" isn't standard English. The correct way to express this idea is "at their "primary location"" or "at their "main location"". Adding the noun clarifies the location being referred to.