of which were

USAGE SUMMARY

"of which were" is correct and usable in written English.
You use it to refer to a noun that has already been mentioned, to show how the earlier noun was made up or what it was composed of. For example: I visited a number of cities in Europe, of which were Rome, Paris, and Madrid.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

47 human-written examples

Both of which were true.

The New Yorker

All of which were perfectly apt.

The New York Times - Travel

"None of which were really good reasons".

The Guardian - Music

None of which were — to her disappointment, expressed emphatically — provided.

The New York Times - Books

She was in 16 plays, most of which were junk.

The New Yorker

Tells about Garvin's various accidents, most of which were slight.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

13 human-written examples

All of which is welcome.

Independent

All of which is understandable.

The New Yorker

All of which is nonsense.

The New York Times

All of which is good, of course.

The New York Times

All of which is happening now.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "of which were" to add details about parts of a previously mentioned whole, ensuring clarity and conciseness in your writing.

Common error

Ensure subject-verb agreement by using "of which were" when referring to plural nouns, and "of which was" when referring to singular nouns.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "of which were" functions as a relative clause introducing additional information about a previously mentioned noun. As Ludwig AI states, it shows how the earlier noun was made up or what it was composed of. The phrase establishes a partitive relationship.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

48%

Science

36%

Formal & Business

16%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "of which were" is a grammatically sound and frequently employed relative clause, primarily used to provide additional context about a previously mentioned group, specifically a subset within it. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage in written English. Predominantly found in news, scientific, and formal business contexts, this phrase serves to clarify the composition or attributes of a part relative to the whole. Ensure subject-verb agreement and consult the provided alternatives to enhance clarity and precision in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

some of which were

Specifies that only a portion of the previously mentioned noun group possesses a certain characteristic.

many of which were

Indicates that a large number of the previously mentioned items share a specific attribute.

all of which were

Emphasizes that every item in the group had the characteristic in question.

most of them were

Replaces "of which" with a more direct pronoun reference while retaining similar meaning.

several of which were

Highlights that there are multiple items, but not a majority, with the stated quality.

a few of which were

Indicates a small subset of the larger group possesses the defined characteristic.

none of which were

States that no item from the previously mentioned noun group had the characteristic in question.

a proportion of which were

Uses a more formal term to express a part-to-whole relationship regarding the characteristic.

a percentage of which were

Quantifies the relationship using a percentage to show how many possessed the characteristic.

various of which were

Highlights the diverse nature of the subset exhibiting the described quality.

FAQs

How do I use "of which were" in a sentence?

Use "of which were" to specify a subset of a previously mentioned group. For example, "I read several books, all "all of which were" fascinating".

What can I say instead of "of which were"?

Alternatives include "some of which were", "many of which were", or ""all of which were" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "of which was" instead of "of which were"?

The correct form depends on whether you are referring to a singular or plural noun. Use "of which was" for singular nouns and "of which were" for plural nouns.

What's the difference between "of which were" and "which were"?

"Of which were" is typically used to provide more information about a specific group mentioned earlier in the sentence, whereas "which were" may introduce a new clause. "Of which were" emphasizes a subset relation with something that has already been mentioned.