mostly all of them

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "mostly all of them" is not considered standard in written English, as it combines two conflicting terms.
It may be used informally in conversation to imply that the majority of a group is included, but it is better to use clearer expressions in writing. Example: "When asked how many of the participants enjoyed the event, she replied that mostly all of them had a great time."

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

Of the orphans we started with - we had 23 originally - mostly all of them are married.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

"I'll have plenty of company -- about 30 people, mostly all of them relatives," Brown, a Corrections Department officer at Riker's Island, said.

The New York Times - Sports

Since 2002, Frank Maresca, a Brooklyn-born photographer and art dealer who specializes in the folk art of self-taught and "outsider" artists, has donated nearly 600 snapshots, mostly all of them taken from the 1920s to the 1960s, to the Newark Museum.

The New York Times

For those viewers who find that theory a bit dubious (mostly all of them), writer and director Jamie Kastner offers a neat solution: tell the story of disco through the eyes of its "revolutionary masterminds": a sparkly trio waving their hands over a disco ball as they plot the liberation of America's underclass, using unwitting musicians who have no sense of their subversive purpose.

The Guardian - Film

"I was there before Facebook, I was there before CNN.com, I was there before mostly all of them.

Huffington Post

For many Minutepeople we met, they seemed to be very emotional about the immigration issue, however when I asked them what they knew about what migrants experienced when traveling north, mostly all of them were not that informed.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

Kiss, but mostly just all of them.

Vice

His few possessions are mostly mementos, almost all of them revealing his commitment to the reservoir.

The New York Times - Sports

I like to know how and where the vegetables have been grown, choosing mostly organic, almost all of them have many different varieties.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

It was mostly politicians (and not all of them non-Indigenous) who expressed "shock" that such abuse of young Aboriginal people could happen in a supposedly civilised place like Australia.

The Guardian - Opinion

Endless waves of people — nearly all of them men, mostly young and mostly, to judge from their appearance, lower-middle class — enveloped the motorcade, pushing, shoving, setting off fireworks, and firing Kalashnikovs into the air.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming for formal or academic writing, replace "mostly all of them" with more standard alternatives such as "almost all of them" or "the majority of them" for enhanced clarity and precision.

Common error

Avoid using "mostly all of them" in formal documents. This construction is considered non-standard and can detract from the professionalism of your writing. Choose more precise alternatives to maintain a consistent tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "mostly all of them" functions as a quantifier, indicating a high proportion or near-totality of a group or set. It suggests that the majority of the elements are included or possess a certain characteristic, but not necessarily every single one. Ludwig identifies it as a non-standard usage.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

66%

Wiki

16%

Science

16%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "mostly all of them" is a quantifier phrase used to denote that a large portion of a group shares a common attribute. While understandable, Ludwig identifies it as a non-standard expression, suggesting a preference for alternatives like "almost all of them" or "the majority of them" in formal settings. Its usage is most common in news and media, wiki and scientific sources, indicating a tendency towards informal contexts. Therefore, while the phrase is generally acceptable, writers should consider the audience and purpose when choosing between "mostly all of them" and more precise alternatives.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

almost all of them

Replaces "mostly" with "almost", indicating a near-complete inclusion.

nearly all of them

Substitutes "mostly" with "nearly", conveying a similar sense of approximation to totality.

practically all of them

Uses "practically" instead of "mostly", emphasizing the idea that any exceptions are negligible.

virtually all of them

Employs "virtually" in place of "mostly", highlighting the effective completeness of the inclusion.

most of them

Simplifies the phrase by removing "all", resulting in a slightly less emphatic statement.

the majority of them

Replaces the entire phrase with a more formal expression using "majority".

by and large all of them

Adds "by and large" to emphasize the generalization.

in the main all of them

Uses "in the main" to indicate that the statement is generally true.

for the most part all of them

Employs "for the most part" to convey that exceptions may exist but are not significant.

almost without exception all of them

Indicates a level of completeness that approaches totality but allows for rare exceptions.

FAQs

What does "mostly all of them" mean?

The phrase "mostly all of them" is used to indicate that a large majority of a group or set is included, implying that almost everyone or everything is part of a particular situation or characteristic.

What are some alternatives to "mostly all of them"?

You can use alternatives like "almost all of them", "nearly all of them", or "the majority of them" to express a similar meaning with greater clarity.

Is it grammatically correct to say "mostly all of them"?

While the phrase "mostly all of them" is understandable, it is not considered standard English. It combines two terms that express a high degree of inclusion. It is better to use "almost all of them" or "most of them".

In what contexts is it appropriate to use "mostly all of them"?

The phrase "mostly all of them" may be acceptable in informal speech or casual writing. However, in formal or professional settings, it is best to use more precise and standard alternatives like "the majority of them" or "nearly all of them".