is primarily made up of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "is primarily made up of" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe the main components or elements that constitute something. Example: "The committee is primarily made up of experts in environmental science."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

48 human-written examples

But the alliance, which is primarily made up of Tajiks and Uzbeks, pushed ahead anyhow.

The New York Times

"The pro-gun vote is primarily made up of white men who vote Republican on a pretty routine basis.

The New York Times

Have your say The Happy List is primarily made up of individuals nominated by you, our readers.

Independent

The hand-held market -- which is to say, the Game Boy market -- is primarily made up of Pokemon-playing children and Tetris-loving adults.

The New York Times - Tech

A car's bulk, for example, is primarily made up of steel, aluminum, and glass produced by huge machines with not much labor.

The New Yorker

The Nasdaq composite index, which is primarily made up of technology stocks, was up 15.80 points, or 0.62 percent, to 2,578.78.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

10 human-written examples

The tunica media was primarily made up of smooth muscle cells and extracellular matrix proteins, the tunica adventitia was made up of collagen fibrils, an external elastic lamina, occasional nerve processes and fibroblasts.

BMC Physiology

And that it was primarily made up of visitors to the US, including "a lot of Asian tourists".

The Guardian - Tech

Because those conferences are primarily made up of large state colleges, they can deliver a larger gate of alumni and fans to local bowl organizers.

The New York Times - Sports

Newer fauna intermingled with older Cambrian fauna, which was primarily made up of various trilobites and inarticulate (unjointed) brachiopods living in a wide range of environments between the shore and the continental slope.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Raising the pH of the solution to 6.66 reduced the concentration of [AuCl4] -and [AuCl3(OH ]- significantly, and the ionic composition was primarily made up of [AuCl2(OH)2]- ions.

Nanoscale Research Letters

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing the composition of something, use "is primarily made up of" to clearly indicate the main components. For example, "The atmosphere is primarily made up of nitrogen and oxygen."

Common error

Avoid using "is primarily made up of" with singular nouns. Ensure that the subject being described can logically consist of multiple components. Instead of saying "The building is primarily made up of brick", consider "The building's walls are primarily made up of brick."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "is primarily made up of" functions as a copular verb phrase, connecting a subject with a description of its composition. According to Ludwig AI, it is used to specify the main components that constitute something.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Science

25%

Encyclopedias

15%

Less common in

Wiki

10%

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "is primarily made up of" is a common and grammatically sound phrase used to describe the main components of something. Ludwig AI confirms its suitability for a wide range of contexts, from news and media to scientific writing. While alternatives like "consists mainly of" or "is chiefly composed of" exist, "is primarily made up of" is a clear and versatile choice. Remember to use it with plural nouns to accurately describe composition.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

consists mainly of

Focuses on the act of consisting, implying that the components form the whole.

is chiefly composed of

Uses 'chiefly' to emphasize the principal components, which transforms the focus onto the elements.

is largely constituted by

Emphasizes the components form the identity of something.

is mainly comprised of

Highlights the elements are included or contained.

is predominantly formed from

Focuses on the action of forming something.

is fundamentally based on

Implies a basic, underlying structure or principle.

is essentially constructed from

Underscores the concept of assembling from components, indicating a building or creation process.

is substantially composed of

Emphasizes a significant amount or portion.

is generally built upon

Suggests the creation process as one of layering.

is mostly fabricated from

Points towards the manufacturing aspect of the object in the sentence.

FAQs

How can I use "is primarily made up of" in a sentence?

Use "is primarily made up of" to describe what something mainly consists of. For example, "The Earth's atmosphere is primarily made up of nitrogen and oxygen."

What's the difference between "is mostly made up of" and "is primarily made up of"?

"Is primarily made up of" emphasizes the main components, while "is mostly made up of" suggests that the majority of the components are of a particular kind, but other components may be significant as well.

What are some alternatives to "is primarily made up of"?

You can use alternatives like "consists mainly of", "is chiefly composed of", or "is largely constituted by" depending on the nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "is primarily made of" instead of "is primarily made up of"?

While "is primarily made of" can be acceptable, "is primarily made up of" is generally preferred when describing composition, as it explicitly includes all the components that constitute the thing being described.