most children

USAGE SUMMARY

"most children" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to a large majority of people in the group being discussed. For example, "Most children enjoy playing outdoors."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

Most children do.

The New York Times - Travel

But not like most children.

The New York Times - Arts

(Most children will verify this).

The New Yorker

Most children don't have milk anymore.

The New York Times

Most children are not good dancers.

The New Yorker

Most children naturally seek close friends.

The New York Times

Which states have the most children?

The Economist

Most children recover with no lasting problems.

Independent

Most children will be engrossed.

The New York Times

Most children will never notice.

The Guardian - Books

Most children outgrow it by school age.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "most children", ensure the context makes it clear what group of children you are referring to. For example, specify "most children in this study" or "most children in this age group" to provide clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "most children" to make sweeping statements about all children everywhere. Recognize that developmental stages, cultural norms, and individual differences can significantly vary the applicability of such statements.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "most children" functions as a determiner phrase, specifically quantifying the noun "children". It indicates that a majority, but not all, of the individuals referred to as "children" are being discussed. As Ludwig AI confirms, this is grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

36%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Reference

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "most children" is a grammatically sound and widely used phrase for referring to the majority of children in a given context. According to Ludwig AI, this phrase is correct and usable in written English. It's prevalent across various domains, including news, science, and formal communications, as confirmed by examples found in The New York Times, The Guardian, and UNICEF, among others. While highly versatile, it's important to avoid overgeneralization and ensure context-specific application for clarity and accuracy. Remember that while useful, "most children" does not mean "all children", hence the need for specific alternatives, such as "the majority of children" or "many children", depending on the precise intended meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

the majority of children

Replaces "most" with "the majority of", emphasizing a numerical advantage.

the vast majority of children

Emphasizes a large and overwhelming portion of children.

the greater number of children

Emphasizes the larger quantity of children compared to others.

the predominant number of children

Highlights the children as being numerically dominant.

a significant number of children

Highlights the importance of the quantity of children being discussed.

a large proportion of children

Focuses on the proportional representation of children.

many children

Employs a simpler and more direct term for a considerable number of children.

the bulk of children

Refers to children as a collective mass.

a lot of children

Uses a more informal expression to indicate a large number of children.

almost all children

Implies a near-complete inclusion of children in a group.

FAQs

How can I use "most children" in a sentence?

You can use "most children" to refer to the majority of children in a specific context. For example, "Most children enjoy playing games."

What are some alternatives to "most children"?

Alternatives include "the majority of children", "many children", or "a lot of children", depending on the desired level of formality and emphasis.

Is it accurate to use "most children" when referring to all children?

It's generally not accurate to use "most children" when referring to all children, as it implies a majority rather than universality. It's best to specify the group of children you're referring to, or use alternatives like "children generally" or "typical children" if appropriate.

What's the difference between "most children" and "some children"?

"Most children" refers to a majority, indicating more than half of the children in a group. "Some children", on the other hand, refers to an unspecified but relatively small number of children.