much of them

USAGE SUMMARY

"much of them" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it when you are referring to a group of things and you want to emphasize a quantity. For example: "We have many valuable paintings in the gallery, and much of them are from the 19th century."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

No one ever expected much of them.

The New York Times

By not asking too much of them.

The New Yorker

Don't see that much of them.

Independent

You cannot drink as much of them.

The New York Times - Food

No one expects much of them anyway.

The Guardian

"And sometimes, people expect too much of them.

The New York Times - Sports

If you have too much of them, they're a sin".

The Economist

But there are differences, much of them starting with Harbaugh.

The New York Times - Sports

"I do not think very much of them.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

In return she doesn't appear to think much of them.

The Guardian - Film

But I don't think we'll see much of them".

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Ensure clarity by specifying the group being referred to by "them". For example, instead of "Much of them were damaged", write "Much of the books were damaged."

Common error

Avoid using "much of them" with countable nouns in singular form. "Much" is generally used with uncountable nouns. Instead, use "many of them" for countable nouns or rephrase the sentence for clarity. For example, instead of "Much of the student was late", use "Many of the students were late" or "Most of the students were late".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "much of them" functions as a determiner phrase, modifying a noun phrase to indicate a large quantity or proportion of the referred entity. Ludwig AI's analysis and the numerous examples available confirm its function in specifying the quantity or extent of something.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

53%

Science

25%

Formal & Business

7%

Less common in

Wiki

2%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "much of them" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression for indicating a substantial quantity or portion of a defined group. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage across diverse contexts. It functions as a determiner phrase, conveying quantity or emphasis. While appropriate for both formal and informal contexts, precision may be preferred in highly formal settings. The prevalence of "much of them" in news and media highlights its role in general communication, though scientific and business contexts also utilize it. Users should be mindful of using "much" with uncountable nouns in plural form, and specifying the group when using "them" to maintain clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a considerable portion of them

Replaces "much" with "a considerable portion", emphasizing a notable but not necessarily overwhelming quantity.

a significant number of them

Substitutes "much" with "a significant number", highlighting the numerical aspect of the quantity.

a large quantity of those

Rephrases "them" as "those" and uses "a large quantity" instead of "much", focusing on the amount.

a good deal of them

Replaces "much" with "a good deal", which is a more informal way of expressing a substantial amount.

a substantial fraction of those

Replaces "much" with "a substantial fraction", highlighting the proportional aspect of the amount.

a major part of them

Emphasizes that the quantity represents a principal component of the whole.

a high proportion of those

Focuses on the ratio or percentage that the quantity represents.

a noteworthy amount of them

Highlights that the quantity is worthy of attention or is remarkable.

a considerable volume of those

Emphasizes the bulk or capacity that the quantity occupies.

a great quantity of them

Uses "great quantity" to indicate a large amount, which is slightly more emphatic than "much".

FAQs

When is it appropriate to use "much of them" in a sentence?

Use "much of them" when referring to a significant portion or quantity of a group of items or entities already specified. For example, "We collected several samples, and "much of them" tested positive."

What are some alternatives to using "much of them" in writing?

Depending on the context, alternatives to "much of them" include phrases like "a significant portion of them", "a considerable amount of them", or "a large quantity of them". Each emphasizes quantity in different ways.

Is "much of them" formal or informal language?

"Much of them" is generally considered neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts. However, in very formal writing, you might prefer more precise language such as "a substantial part of them".

How does "much of them" differ from "many of them"?

"Much" is generally used with uncountable nouns, while "many" is used with countable nouns. However, "much of them" refers to a quantity out of a specified group, while "many of them" refers to multiple individual items. Consider using "much of them" when referring to a collective quantity of something already mentioned.