most of whom

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "most of whom" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to a group of people and wanting to distinguish one group from another. For example, "The class was full of able students, most of whom had scored high on their exams."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Zanzibaris, most of whom are moderates, disagree.

The Economist

million people, most of whom were Jews.

The New York Times

He misses his friends, most of whom have fled.

The New York Times

About 800 people were killed, most of whom were Muslim.

Encyclopedia Britannica

They have 127 backers, most of whom invested $100 apiece.

The New Yorker

Environmentalists, most of whom oppose nuclear power, see things differently.

The Economist

Most of whom were, doubtless, cruelly rejected by Middlesex Polytechnic.

The Guardian

Surrounded by adoring fans, most of whom look like him.

The Guardian

Nibelungs Dwarves, most of whom live in Nibelheim.

The Guardian - Music

There is also a sizable minority of Muslims, most of whom are of South Asian descent.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Min Zhou and Carl L. Bankston III are sociologists who have studied this contrast between Vietnamese achievers, most of whom choose Abramson, and the delinquents, most of whom are in Reed.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "most of whom" to provide additional information about a specific subset within a previously mentioned group of people. Ensure clarity by placing it immediately after the group it modifies.

Common error

Avoid using "most of whom" to refer to things or inanimate objects. Use "most of which" instead. For example, say "The books, most of which were old, were damaged" not "The books, most of whom were old, were damaged".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "most of whom" functions as a relative pronoun phrase, introducing a non-restrictive clause that provides additional information about a group of people previously mentioned. As Ludwig shows, it elaborates on a subset within that group.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

30%

Encyclopedias

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "most of whom" is a versatile phrase used to add detail about a subset of people within a larger group. According to Ludwig AI, it is grammatically correct and frequently encountered in writing. When writing, make sure to use it to refer to people, and consider related phrases like "the majority of whom" to add nuance. As seen in the examples available in Ludwig, the phrase sees usage across different types of text ranging from the News & Media to Science and Encyclopedias. Common errors include using "most of whom" to refer to inanimate objects; in such cases, use "most of which" instead.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

most of which

Refers to things rather than people.

the majority of whom

Emphasizes a larger proportion of the group.

a majority of whom

Similar to "the majority of whom", but slightly less emphatic.

many of whom

Indicates a substantial number, but not necessarily the majority.

several of whom

Suggests a smaller number within the group.

a number of whom

Similar to "several of whom", indicating an indefinite quantity.

of whom are

Reverses the structure while maintaining the core meaning.

the greater part of whom

Emphasizes a significant portion of the group.

almost all of whom

Indicates a near-complete majority.

most of them

Replaces "whom" with "them" which can be used in less formal writing.

FAQs

How do I use "most of whom" in a sentence?

Use "most of whom" to provide extra detail about people already mentioned. For example, "The team consisted of 20 members, "most of whom" were engineers."

What's a good alternative to "most of whom"?

Consider alternatives like "the majority of whom", "many of whom", or simply restructuring the sentence depending on the context.

Is "most of whom" formal or informal?

"Most of whom" is generally considered suitable for both formal and informal writing, but it's more common in written than spoken English. You might prefer "most of them" in casual speech.

What's the difference between "most of whom" and "most of which"?

"Most of whom" refers to people, while "most of which" refers to things. For instance, "The students, most of whom were diligent, excelled" versus "The books, most of which were old, were interesting".