mostly prefer

USAGE SUMMARY

"mostly prefer" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to say that something is generally more preferred than another option. For example, "I mostly prefer to listen to rock music when I'm in the car."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

34 human-written examples

The model is designed to mostly prefer the latter interpretation.

The New York Times

It is important, therefore, to understand which kinds of nature people mostly prefer and use.

Landscape and Urban Planning

Clever people are mobile, and mostly prefer not to live in war zones.

The Economist

The N.F.L. prefers its officials go unnoticed and the officials mostly prefer it that way, too.

The New York Times - Sports

Rose George is a young British journalist who writes smart books about subjects we mostly prefer not to think about.

The New York Times - Books

In addition, Europe's big IT firms still mostly prefer to develop new technology themselves rather than buy it.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

26 human-written examples

This form of sex selection has mostly preferred boy children but has also manifested itself as a preference for girl children in some families with a previous boy.

Plosone

The preferences for type of drink also differed between genders: men mostly preferred drinking spirits on special occasions and many drank beer as well on ordinary days, and among women wine and sparkling wine were more popular.

Alcohol and Alcoholism

The results from the comparison study in Table 2 show that observer A and C mostly preferred the standard images and that observer B did not have any preference in any of the 20 image pairs with regard to lesion detectability.

EJNMMI Research

Findings showed that the prospective science teachers mostly preferred to use Web 2.0 tools for fun.

Computers in Human Behavior

Voters have also mostly preferred more austerity over extra spending on growth.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "mostly prefer" to indicate a general preference that isn't absolute. It implies that while one option is favored, alternatives are still possible or acceptable.

Common error

Avoid using "mostly prefer" when you need to express an absolute or exclusive preference. Choose stronger words like "exclusively prefer" or rephrase to avoid any ambiguity if necessary.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "mostly prefer" functions as a qualifying expression indicating a general but not absolute preference. Ludwig confirms that this phrase is both correct and usable. The word "mostly" modifies the verb "prefer", indicating that the preference is not always the case but occurs more often than not.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

54%

Science

43%

Formal & Business

3%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "mostly prefer" is a useful tool for expressing a general inclination without implying an absolute exclusivity. Ludwig AI indicates that this phrase is grammatically correct and appropriate for use in written English. It is commonly found in News & Media and Scientific contexts, and its neutral register allows it to be versatile in different types of writing. While "mostly prefer" is generally well-understood, it's important to ensure that the context clearly conveys the intended degree of preference. Alternative phrases such as "generally favor" or "tend to prefer" can provide similar meanings with slightly different nuances. Avoid overstating preference when using this phrase, and specify reasons for the preference when appropriate.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

generally favor

Changes "prefer" to "favor", implying a leaning towards something in general.

tend to prefer

Adds "tend to", suggesting a habitual or likely preference.

largely prefer

Substitutes "mostly" with "largely", indicating a considerable preference.

primarily prefer

Replaces "mostly" with "primarily", emphasizing the main preference.

mainly prefer

Uses "mainly" instead of "mostly", highlighting the principal preference.

typically prefer

Replaces "mostly" with "typically", suggesting a common or usual preference.

usually prefer

Substitutes "mostly" with "usually", indicating a habitual preference.

generally lean towards

Replaces "mostly prefer" with "generally lean towards", indicating an inclination.

have a strong preference for

Indicates a notable inclination towards something.

predominantly favor

Emphasizes that preference is happening most of the time.

FAQs

How can I use "mostly prefer" in a sentence?

Use "mostly prefer" to express a general inclination towards something, like "People "mostly prefer to travel by plane" for long distances".

What's a good alternative to "mostly prefer"?

Consider using phrases like "generally favor", "tend to prefer", or "largely prefer" to convey a similar meaning.

Is it always necessary to specify why someone "mostly prefers" something?

No, it's not always necessary. The context of the sentence can often imply the reason. However, providing the reason can add clarity, such as "They mostly prefer tea because "it is less caffeinated"".

How does "mostly prefer" differ from "strongly prefer"?

"Mostly prefer" indicates a general inclination, while "strongly prefer" suggests a more decisive and pronounced preference. The latter implies a less openness to alternatives.