mainly keeping the

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "mainly keeping the" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing a primary focus or activity that involves maintaining or preserving something. Example: "The project is mainly keeping the community engaged through various activities and events."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

Some analysts are mainly keeping the faith.

The Guardian - Business

"It's mainly keeping the hallways clean, taking care of the garbage and being the point person," she said.

The New York Times

In return for the scholarship, he was expected to put in 250 hours of work a year around the campus, mainly keeping the tennis courts tidy.

The New York Times - Magazine

But it's not the gaps within companies that are mainly keeping the sexes apart on pay.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

Expressing the views of many developing nations, Shri Suresh Pachouri, an Indian delegate, said, "The rules of the W.T.O. have been framed mainly keeping in view the interests of the industrialized countries".

The New York Times

Throughout the night Mr. McDowell and Mr. Corley hovered together at the left side of the stage, mainly keeping out of the way of Mr. Hull, who spun and shouted and generally caused a ruckus, in particular on "Wolves at Night" and "Now That You're Home," robust songs from the earlier album.

The New York Times - Arts

But as the night wore on I had far more important things to tend to, mainly keeping a hazed vigil into the wee hours to mark the birth of metal.

Vice

By making this set of traps uniquely personal and mainly keeping Hoffman in a different subplot, the film amazingly creates the illusion that you're watching Kramer himself running the traps this time.

Huffington Post

ATHENS — While money pours out of Greek banks and Europe debates whether or not Greece deserves its next handout, the people potentially in the best position to help shore up the nation's finances are mainly keeping their heads down.

The New York Times

Having doubled the number of teams to 10, the organisers otherwise played it safe by mainly keeping to northern England.

BBC

At that time, he was concerned mainly with keeping the Mariinsky afloat, wheedling money from donors around the world.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "mainly keeping the", ensure that the context clearly indicates what is being maintained or preserved. For example, "The company is mainly keeping the existing infrastructure operational."

Common error

Avoid using "mainly keeping the" without clearly specifying what 'the' refers to. A vague reference can confuse the reader. Instead of "They are mainly keeping the...", specify "They are mainly keeping the project on schedule."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "mainly keeping the" functions as a gerund phrase, indicating an action (keeping) that serves as a noun. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's a grammatically correct and usable phrase. It specifies the primary focus of an activity.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Wiki

30%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "mainly keeping the" is a grammatically correct gerund phrase used to emphasize the primary focus on maintaining or preserving something. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, the phrase is usable in written English. While not overly common, it appears in diverse contexts such as News & Media and Science. For more formal settings, alternatives like "primarily maintaining the" or "chiefly conserving the" may be suitable. When employing this phrase, ensure clarity by explicitly stating what 'the' refers to, preventing any ambiguity for the reader.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

primarily maintaining

Emphasizes the act of maintenance as the principal activity.

largely preserving

Highlights preservation as the main focus, rather than just upkeep.

chiefly conserving

Focuses on conservation as the most important aspect.

mostly sustaining

Emphasizes the act of supporting or prolonging something.

primarily focused on maintaining

More explicitly states the focus is on maintenance.

principally dedicated to preserving

Highlights dedication to the act of preserving something.

mainly responsible for maintaining

Shifts the focus to responsibility for maintenance.

largely concerned with keeping

Indicates a strong concern towards maintaining something.

mostly about safeguarding

Focuses on the act of protecting something.

primarily in charge of retaining

Highlights responsibility of retaining or keeping something.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "mainly keeping the" to sound more formal?

For a more formal tone, consider alternatives like "primarily maintaining the", "principally preserving the", or "chiefly conserving the depending on the specific context.

What does "mainly keeping the" imply in a sentence?

It implies that the primary focus or activity is on maintaining or preserving something, suggesting that other activities are secondary.

Is there a difference between "mainly keeping the" and "solely keeping the"?

Yes, "mainly keeping the" indicates that keeping something is the primary focus, but not necessarily the only one. "Solely keeping the" would mean that keeping something is the only focus, excluding all other activities.

How to use "mainly keeping the" in a sentence?

You can use it when discussing the most important part of an action dedicated to maintain or preserve something. For example: "The project is "mainly keeping the" community engaged".