mainly in part

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "mainly in part" is not correct and is redundant in written English.
You can use it when trying to express that something is primarily true but only to a certain extent, although it is better to choose a clearer expression. Example: "The project's success was mainly in part due to the team's hard work and dedication."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Despite all the hardships that occurred this past week on Koh Tao, we still managed to thoroughly enjoy our time here, mainly in part because of our thrilling scuba diving experience.

Huffington Post

Several attempts to introduce floral scent have been made using genetic engineering; such efforts have achieved partial success, mainly in part due to the absence of key enzymes or precursors that are required for the biosynthesis of the final biochemical compound.

Horticulture Research

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Historically, they ranged across much of Europe, Asia, and Africa, but now they are found mainly in parts of Africa south of the Sahara.

Encyclopedia Britannica

FGM is found mainly in parts of Africa and the Middle East and the World Health Organisation estimates between 100 and 140 million women worldwide have been subjected to at least one of the first three steps of female genital mutilation.

The Guardian

Among older job seeking men, this might be due to the fact that the increase in employment among men during 2002 2010 occurred mainly in part-time jobs (Bank of Israel 2011).

Journal for Labour Market Research

They will be established in areas of England that have been hit hard by the economic downturn - mainly in parts of the Midlands and the North.

BBC

Bulls may also have a series of vertical white stripes on their sides (mainly in parts of the Karoo in South Africa).

Wikipedia

The parasites are found mainly in parts of Southeast Asia, China and South Korea, where residents and tourists alike risk infection from specific types of freshwater fish, such as tilapia and carp.

Los Angeles Times

Pressure ulcers are known as bed scores and decubitus ulcers and occur mainly in parts of the body that are subject to high pressure from body weight on bony prominences [ 1]; thus they have been defined as "an area of unrelieved pressure usually over a bony prominence leading to ischemia, cell death, and tissue necrosis" [ 2].

BioMed Research International

Each contribution was considered to act mainly in one part of the z-scan through a Heaviside Step function.

Journal of the European Optical Society-Rapid Publications

Massive corals and E. acoroides (see below) are mainly in region 2 and south parts of regions 4 and 5. Branching corals are mainly in south part of region 3.

Geoscience Letters

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "mainly in part" in your writing. Opt for clearer and more grammatically sound alternatives such as "largely due to" or "primarily because of".

Common error

Don't use "mainly in part" when you can express the same idea more concisely. Redundant phrasing weakens your writing and makes it less impactful.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "mainly in part" functions as an adverbial modifier, attempting to qualify the extent to which a statement is true. However, this usage is considered grammatically incorrect and redundant, as highlighted by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "mainly in part" is considered grammatically incorrect and redundant. While it aims to express that something is primarily true but only to a certain degree, Ludwig recommends avoiding it in favor of clearer alternatives such as "largely due to" or "primarily because of". Ludwig AI indicates that it's better to choose a clearer expression because redundant phrasing weakens your writing. Although examples exist in both news and scientific sources, these instances do not validate its use, and more precise language is always preferable.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

largely due to

Emphasizes the significant contribution of a particular factor.

primarily because of

Highlights the main reason or cause.

mostly attributable to

Indicates that something can be chiefly assigned or credited to a specific cause.

chiefly resulting from

Points to the principal outcome or consequence.

significantly influenced by

Highlights the notable impact of a factor.

partially a consequence of

Acknowledges that something is partly the result of something else.

in some measure owing to

Suggests that something is due to a particular reason, though not entirely.

to a considerable extent

Indicates a substantial degree or proportion.

predominantly as a result of

Stresses the most important outcome or effect.

substantially dependent on

Highlights the significant reliance on something.

FAQs

Is "mainly in part" grammatically correct?

No, the phrase "mainly in part" is grammatically incorrect and considered redundant. It's better to use phrases like "largely due to" or "primarily because of".

What does "mainly in part" mean?

The phrase attempts to convey that something is primarily true but only to a certain extent. However, it's not a standard or grammatically sound expression. Use a more precise phrase instead, such as "mostly attributable to".

How can I rephrase a sentence that uses "mainly in part"?

Replace "mainly in part" with alternatives like "significantly influenced by" or "to a considerable extent" to ensure clarity and grammatical correctness. For example, instead of "The success was mainly in part due to hard work", say "The success was largely due to hard work."

Are there situations where "mainly in part" is acceptable?

While you might encounter "mainly in part" in some contexts, it's generally not recommended due to its redundancy and lack of grammatical precision. It's better to use clearer and more accepted alternatives, such as "partially a consequence of".