of which was

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "of which was" is not correct in standard written English. It can be used in contexts where it refers to a specific part of a larger whole, but it often requires rephrasing for clarity. Example: "The report included several sections, of which one was particularly detailed." Alternative expressions include "of which" and "that was."

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

All of which was good.

The Guardian - Opinion

All of which was remarkable.

The Guardian

Neither of which was easy.

The New York Times

All of which was true.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

One of which was our sun.

The New York Times - Science

Only half of which was true.

The Guardian

All of which was hunky dory.

The Guardian - Tech

All of which was saying nothing.

The New York Times - Magazine

None of which was too demanding.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Con:... the strongest of which was about slavery.

The Washington Post

Most of which was added in Asia and the Pacific.

The Washington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Ensure clarity by placing "of which was" close to the noun it modifies to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid separating "of which was" too far from its referent, as this can create confusion and make the sentence difficult to understand.

Linguistic Context

Of which was functions as a relative clause, providing additional information about a previously mentioned noun phrase. Ludwig shows that it commonly introduces a detail or characteristic of a thing. It is a relative clause construction used to add descriptive detail.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Academia

30%

News & Media

54%

Science

9%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Social Media

2%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "of which was" functions as a relative clause, adding details to a preceding noun. Ludwig's analysis reveals it's commonly used in both academic and media contexts. While grammatically acceptable, alternatives like "that was" may offer improved clarity or conciseness. The analysis suggests aiming for precision when using "of which was", ensuring it directly modifies the intended noun. While often appropriate, Ludwig's AI indicates a more straightforward option could be favorable in some situations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

that was

Direct replacement, omitting the prepositional phrase for conciseness.

which it was

Reverses the structure, placing "which" after the subject.

and it was

Splits the sentence into two separate clauses using a conjunction.

one of them was

Focuses on "one" specific element.

a part of which was

Emphasizes the partial nature of the relationship.

that one was

Similar to "that was" but adds emphasis on a particular item or concept.

included in which was

Highlights inclusion within the larger set.

consisting of which was

Focuses on composition and elements that form a thing.

in that group was

Adds a group context.

from those was

Indicates selection from a set of alternatives.

FAQs

How can I use "of which was" in a sentence?

Use "of which was" to introduce a clause that specifies a characteristic or detail about something previously mentioned. For example, "The project had several phases, one "of which was" the planning stage".

What are some alternatives to using "of which was"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives such as "that was", "which it was", or restructure the sentence for better clarity. For instance, instead of "The team had many members, one "of which was" a designer", try "The team included a designer among its members".

Which is more correct: "of which was" or "which was"?

"Of which was" is grammatically sound in certain contexts, while "which was" may be more direct and suitable for simpler constructions. The choice depends on the nuance you want to convey. If you want to express that something is a part of a whole, than use "of which was", otherwise use just "which was".

What's the difference between "a part of which was" and "of which was"?

"A part "of which was"" emphasizes that you're referring to a specific portion or element of a larger whole, whereas "of which was" can be used more generally to describe something related to the subject.