mainly are

USAGE SUMMARY

"mainly are" is not correct and usable in written English.
You can use the word "mainly" as an adjective to describe a noun, e.g. "The dishes mainly served at this restaurant are Italian."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

What's left mainly are anger, anxiety and a kind of flattened affection for Dad and me.

The New York Times - Magazine

Perhaps the biggest surprise, in a country where "bardolatry" has been identified as an artistic sin, is how lacking in sycophancy the plays mainly are.

The Guardian

The funds mainly are used to pay the teaching artists; at Tilles, for example, they earn about $275 a day for working with five classes.

The New York Times

[Bloomberg Businessweek] A study suggests that estimates of the power of the world's carbon sinks — oceans and forests, mainly — are significantly inflated.

The New York Times

There also are a small but still significant number of people from Taiwan and elsewhere overseas who mainly are involved with foreign-owned or foreign-operated enterprises located in and around Shanghai.

Encyclopedia Britannica

We mainly are concerned with the stability of the solutions.

Boundary Value Problems

Table S1 displays the other species, which mainly are multi-amino acid.

Nano-Micro Letters

Oxide and metal mainly are used for fuel materials, and nitride is also available.

Handbook of Generation IV Nuclear Reactors

The products of MES by C. scatologenes mainly are acetic acid, ethanol and butyric acid.

Bioresources and Bioprocessing

In other words, the sources of the forced oscillations mainly are located on the generator sides.

Journal of Modern Power Systems and Clean Energy

Major minerals forming in the glass ceramics mainly are gehlenite (Ca2Al2SiO7) & akermanite (Ca2MgSiO7) and wollastonite (CaSiO3).

Waste Management

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming for formal writing, replace "mainly are" with more grammatically correct alternatives such as "are primarily" or "are chiefly" to enhance clarity and credibility.

Common error

Avoid using "mainly are" in academic or professional writing. Its informal nature can undermine the seriousness of your arguments. Instead, opt for stronger, more precise alternatives.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "mainly are" functions as a descriptor indicating the primary or principal characteristic of a subject. Although frequent, Ludwig AI identifies it as grammatically incorrect. Examples in Ludwig show it used across diverse contexts to denote composition or key features.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

44%

News & Media

17%

Wiki

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Formal & Business

2%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "mainly are" is frequently used across various domains, including science, news, and general reference, to highlight key components or characteristics. However, Ludwig AI identifies it as grammatically incorrect. While common, especially in less formal contexts, alternatives like "are primarily", "are chiefly", or "are largely" offer more grammatically sound options, enhancing clarity and credibility in formal writing. Despite its widespread use, especially in certain domains, it's advisable to opt for grammatically correct alternatives to ensure precision and professionalism in writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

are primarily

Replaces "mainly" with "primarily" for a more formal and grammatically correct structure.

are chiefly

Substitutes "mainly" with "chiefly", providing a similar meaning with better grammatical acceptability.

are predominantly

Replaces "mainly" with "predominantly", which fits well in formal contexts and offers better grammar.

are principally

Similar to 'primarily', "principally" provides a more formal and grammatically accepted alternative.

are largely

Replaces "mainly" with "largely", offering a near synonym in a grammatically sound structure.

are mostly

Substitutes "mainly" with "mostly", keeping the meaning similar but correcting the grammar.

are essentially

Using "essentially" in place of "mainly" to describe the basic or fundamental nature of something while correcting the grammar.

are fundamentally

Similar to 'essentially', "fundamentally" focuses on the basic nature but is a grammatically correct alternative.

primarily consist of

Rephrases to emphasize composition, using "primarily consist of" for grammatical correctness and altered structure.

are substantially

Offers a grammatically sound way to indicate that something forms a significant part.

FAQs

What are some alternatives to "mainly are" that improve grammatical correctness?

You can use alternatives like "are primarily", "are chiefly", or "are largely" to maintain a similar meaning with better grammar.

Is "mainly are" considered grammatically correct in formal writing?

No, "mainly are" is generally considered grammatically incorrect in formal writing. It's better to use more formal and grammatically sound alternatives such as "are primarily" or "are essentially".

How does the context influence the choice of alternatives for "mainly are"?

The context dictates the best alternative. For formal contexts, "are principally" or "are chiefly" are suitable. For more general use, "are mostly" or "are largely" may be appropriate.

Which is correct, "mainly are" or "are mainly"?

"Are mainly" is generally considered more grammatically correct than "mainly are". It's advisable to use "are mainly" or other alternatives such as "are primarily" to ensure grammatical accuracy.