mainly when

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "mainly when" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something occurs primarily during specific circumstances or times. Example: "I prefer to exercise mainly when the weather is nice."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

It happens, mainly, when people use incompatible chargers.

The Guardian

I drive mainly when I have to, for work or to do errands.

The New Yorker

Occasionally it stops or reverses direction, mainly when Blanche's fragile mental health begins to crumble.

The Guardian

The jumbo tanks are used mainly when oxygen tents are employed.

The New Yorker

Hassell used to touch the ball on offense mainly when he rebounded it himself.

The New York Times - Sports

The Dutch repeatedly declared their interest in New Guinea, mainly when fearing encroachment by the British.

The New York Times

Mr Farage also had his moments, again, mainly when laying into Mr Miliband.

The Economist

For two years he has been the backup at Seton Hall, starting mainly when Shaheen Holloway was injured.

The New York Times - Sports

I am obviously not posting bad photos of myself with skin hanging, which is mainly when I'm horizontal, doing planks.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

For These Higgs bosons are produced mainly when gluons, inside the various produced hadrons, collide and fuse together.

The Guardian

Once the Presidential campaign accelerated, Obama explicitly addressed the subject of race mainly when it was demanded of him.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "mainly when" to clearly specify the conditions under which a particular event or action predominantly occurs. This helps to avoid ambiguity and provides context to your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "mainly when" in simple sentences where a more direct conjunction like "when" or "if" would suffice. Overusing the phrase can make your writing sound unnecessarily complex.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "mainly when" functions as an adverbial conjunction, connecting two clauses by specifying the primary condition or circumstance under which the action in the main clause occurs. Ludwig examples show this in diverse contexts, reinforcing its role in setting conditional parameters.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

48%

News & Media

43%

Formal & Business

3%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "mainly when" is a grammatically sound conjunction phrase widely used to specify the primary conditions under which something occurs. As Ludwig AI indicates, it's correct and useful in written English across various contexts. Predominantly found in science and news media, it serves to emphasize the most frequent or significant circumstances affecting a statement. While there are numerous alternatives like "primarily when" or "mostly when", it's essential to avoid overuse in simple scenarios where more direct conjunctions would suffice. Remembering these guidelines will ensure clear and effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

primarily when

Replaces "mainly" with "primarily", indicating the principal time or condition.

mostly when

Substitutes "mainly" with "mostly", suggesting the majority of instances.

chiefly when

Uses "chiefly" instead of "mainly", emphasizing the most important or common condition.

largely when

Replaces "mainly" with "largely", indicating a significant portion of the time.

generally when

Substitutes "mainly" with "generally", suggesting the usual circumstance.

typically when

Replaces "mainly" with "typically", indicating a common occurrence.

usually when

Substitutes "mainly" with "usually", indicating what normally happens.

especially when

Uses "especially" instead of "mainly", highlighting a particular circumstance.

particularly when

Replaces "mainly" with "particularly", focusing on a specific situation.

in most cases when

Offers a more verbose alternative, emphasizing the majority of situations.

FAQs

How can I use "mainly when" in a sentence?

"Mainly when" is used to indicate that something happens primarily under specific conditions. For example: "The software is useful mainly when dealing with large datasets."

What are some alternatives to "mainly when"?

You can use alternatives like "primarily when", "mostly when", or "chiefly when" depending on the context.

Is it grammatically correct to start a sentence with "mainly when"?

While grammatically permissible, starting a sentence with "mainly when" might sound awkward. It's generally better to incorporate it into the main clause to maintain a smoother flow. For example, instead of saying "Mainly when it rains, the event is moved indoors", say "The event is moved indoors mainly when it rains".

What's the difference between "mainly when" and "only when"?

"Mainly when" indicates the primary or most frequent condition, while "only when" implies an exclusive condition. "The system updates mainly when new data is available" suggests updates also occur sometimes under other conditions. "The system updates only when new data is available" means it never updates without new data.