primarily when it

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "primarily when it" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate that something occurs mainly during a specific condition or situation. Example: "The system functions optimally primarily when it is connected to a stable internet source."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

GLUT1 protein is synthesised and degraded in the cytosol, whereas GLUT1 protein enacts its biological function primarily when it is transported to the cell membrane.

Breast Cancer Research

The White House has gone into communications lock-down mode before, primarily when it is being heavily -- but legitimately -- criticized and it wants to punish the critics by ceasing all engagement with them for a period of time.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Otherwise, I considered gender presentation primarily when I was told to – this feedback gradually changed the way I dressed and behaved.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

A poor relation of the broccoli, the cabbage, and the brussels sprout, the kohlrabi is primarily noted (when it's noted at all) for its peculiar appearance.

The New Yorker

I mean, if I'm being honest, I barely remember it ever existing, primarily because when it was a big deal, I was seven or eight years old and more interested in catching fish and worrying about the weather than Bentley Rhythm Ace.

Vice

The outline is as follows: we first note that the tetramer structure of PPDK makes possible an avidity effect, in which RP primarily acts when it is bound at the same time to two different monomers on the same tetramer.

BMC Systems Biology

He saw philosophy as a source of insight and perspective relevant to politics, but after his early studies, devoted himself to it primarily when temporarily debarred from more active pursuits: one might say that philosophy became, beyond its intrinsic value, a form of alternative public service when the forum was too dangerous for him to enter (for further reflection, see Baraz 2012).

SEP

The Black Panther Party was made up primarily by men when it was founded in 1966, but evolved into a female majority by the early 70s, according to Stanley Nelson Jr., director of The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution.

Vice

Telemetry studies have shown that this species swims primarily at night, when it enters reefs and other habitats with high terrain relief, and spends most of the day in nearby open areas buried in sediment.

Wikipedia

In this study, cooling was observed primarily when water was turned on, not during the time it took the coat to dry.

Journal of Dairy Science

It was shown that heating and reaction occur primarily when particles pass through the plasma spout.

Chemical Engineering Science

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "primarily when it" to clearly specify the main condition or situation in which an event or action predominantly occurs. This helps to avoid ambiguity and provides a precise context for the reader.

Common error

Avoid using "primarily when it" if the condition you are describing is not truly the main one. Ensure that the situation you are referencing is, in fact, the most common or significant context. If the event occurs under various conditions, a more general phrase might be more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "primarily when it" functions as an adverbial clause, modifying a verb or clause to indicate the main condition under which an action or event occurs. As Ludwig AI points out, it specifies the principal context while allowing for other possibilities.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "primarily when it" is a grammatically correct and useful construction to specify the main condition under which something occurs. According to Ludwig AI, it effectively conveys the principal context without excluding other possibilities. It is most commonly found in scientific and news-related articles, suitable for neutral to formal writing. When using this phrase, ensure that the condition you describe truly represents the most frequent or significant context to avoid overgeneralization.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

mainly when it

Replaces "primarily" with "mainly", indicating the principal but not exclusive condition.

chiefly when it

Substitutes "primarily" with "chiefly", emphasizing the main circumstance.

mostly when it

Uses "mostly" instead of "primarily" to suggest the majority of instances.

largely when it

Employs "largely" in place of "primarily", highlighting the significant condition.

especially when it

Replaces "primarily" with "especially", focusing on particular importance.

particularly when it

Uses "particularly" to emphasize a specific condition under which something occurs.

in most cases when it

Adds "in most cases" for broader implication of frequency.

for the most part when it

Employs "for the most part" to convey general conditionality.

predominantly when it

Substitutes "primarily" with "predominantly", indicating greater frequency.

typically when it

Uses "typically" to indicate a common occurrence under specific conditions.

FAQs

How can I use "primarily when it" in a sentence?

Use "primarily when it" to specify the main condition under which something happens. For example, "The software glitches "primarily when it" processes large files".

What are some alternatives to "primarily when it"?

You can use alternatives like "mainly when it", "especially when it", or "mostly when it" depending on the nuance you want to convey.

Is "primarily when it" formal or informal?

"Primarily when it" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts. The level of formality depends more on the surrounding vocabulary and the overall tone of the writing.

What's the difference between "primarily when it" and "only when it"?

"Primarily when it" indicates that something happens mostly under a specific condition, whereas "only when it" suggests that it exclusively happens under that condition.