primarily those

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "primarily those" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to specify a main group or category among others in a discussion or description. Example: "The survey results indicate that the preferences of the participants were primarily those of younger demographics."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

The problems remain primarily those of execution, which should be fixable.

The Guardian - Business

In some people, primarily those who are already immunocompromised, the disease can cause death.

The Guardian

Some of those customers, primarily those in rural areas, will migrate to Ford dealerships, he said.

The New York Times

The bank is also investigating other employees, primarily those who were supervising Mr. Adoboli.

The New York Times

Income taxes, Mr. Banister explained, must be paid by only a few Americans, primarily those at foreign-owned companies.

The New York Times

These investments, primarily those of high net worth clients, include venture capital, equity hedge funds and fixed-income hedge funds.

The New York Times

The disease worldwide affects millions of people, primarily those with ancestors from Africa, the Mediterranean and India.

The New York Times

In nonstatistical terms, competitive figure skating is dominated by young girls, primarily those with the body types of ballet dancers.

The New York Times

About half of them — primarily those at each extreme — returned for further testing at ages 4, 7, 11 and 15.

The New York Times - Magazine

The decision reflected plans to shut the medium-security area; the Nyack program served primarily those prisoners.

The New York Times

U.S. Bancorp said loans at risk were primarily those made to the transportation industry, particularly aviation, and the manufacturing industry.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "primarily those", ensure the context provides sufficient information about the broader group from which the specific subset is being identified.

Common error

Avoid using "primarily those" if the intended group constitutes almost the entirety of the broader category. In such cases, a more direct statement without qualifiers would be more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "primarily those" functions as a delimiting modifier, specifying a particular subset within a broader group. This is supported by Ludwig's affirmation of the phrase's correctness and the provided examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

47%

Science

22%

Encyclopedias

5%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Formal & Business

3%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "primarily those" serves as a delimiting modifier, effectively narrowing the scope to a specific subset within a larger group. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability across diverse contexts. Predominantly found in News & Media and Scientific sources, this phrase is suitable for both neutral and professional registers. When employing "primarily those", ensure that you're highlighting a genuinely significant portion of the group and not overgeneralizing. Consider alternatives like "mainly those" or "chiefly those" for slight variations in emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

mainly those

Replaces "primarily" with "mainly", indicating a principal focus but with a slightly less formal tone.

chiefly those

Substitutes "primarily" with "chiefly", emphasizing the most important or common among the group.

mostly those

Replaces "primarily" with "mostly", suggesting a majority but not necessarily an exclusive focus.

largely those

Substitutes "primarily" with "largely", indicating a substantial portion of the group.

principally those

Replaces "primarily" with "principally", conveying the idea of fundamental importance or dominance.

predominantly those

Substitutes "primarily" with "predominantly", highlighting the most common or noticeable elements.

essentially those

Replaces "primarily" with "essentially", emphasizing the core or fundamental aspects of the group.

primarily the ones

Changes "those" to "the ones", slightly altering the phrasing while maintaining the same meaning.

primarily speaking

Uses 'primarily speaking' to indicate that the statement is mainly true or applicable.

primarily referring to those

Adds "referring to" to clarify that the statement is specifically directed towards a certain group.

FAQs

How can I use "primarily those" in a sentence?

Use "primarily those" to specify a key subset within a larger group. For example: "The benefits are primarily those associated with increased efficiency."

What is a good alternative to "primarily those"?

Alternatives include "mainly those", "chiefly those", or "mostly those", depending on the nuance you want to convey.

Is there a difference between "primarily those" and "particularly those"?

"Primarily those" indicates a main group, while "particularly those" emphasizes specific instances or examples. Use "primarily" to denote the main focus and "particularly" to highlight certain aspects.

When is it appropriate to use "primarily those" in formal writing?

It's appropriate when you need to clearly define a subset within a larger category, especially in analytical or descriptive contexts. This helps provide clarity and focus to your writing.