some of which

USAGE SUMMARY

"some of which" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it when referring to a group of objects or ideas, as a way to specify a subset of that group. For example: I visited five different cities in Europe, some of which were quite small.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Some of which is fair enough.

Independent

Some of which failed and some of which worked spectacularly.

University of California, Berkeley

Some of which are likable, some of which are not".

The New York Times

Some of which is undoubtedly true.

The New York Times

Some of which arguably occurred in 2008?

The New York Times

Some of which has aroused complaints.

The Guardian

white limestone, some of which show chisel marks.

Harvard University

network of multicompartment models, some of which have active dendrites.

Yale University

some of which are offered online and in-person.

Columbia University

Proverbs in Venetian Italian, some of which with Italian version.

Princeton University

This book presents fifty clinical cases in neuro-ophthalmology, some of which are common and some of which are rare.

Stanford University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Ensure the antecedent noun that "which" refers to is clear to maintain sentence coherence. For example: "I read several books, some of which were mysteries."

Common error

Avoid using "some of which" when referring to people; use "some of whom" instead. For example, write "I met several colleagues, some of whom were very helpful", not "some of which were very helpful".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "some of which" functions as a relative clause, introducing additional information about a subset of items or concepts previously mentioned. Ludwig AI indicates that it's a grammatically sound way to specify a partial selection from a larger group.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

39%

Academia

36%

Encyclopedias

8%

Less common in

Science

7%

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "some of which" is a versatile relative clause used to specify a subset of a larger group. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it is grammatically correct and widely employed across various writing styles. While it's suitable for many contexts, remember to use "some of whom" when referring to people instead. The phrase is most commonly found in News & Media and Academic writing. To improve clarity, ensure the antecedent is clear and avoid awkward sentence starts. By keeping these points in mind, you can effectively use "some of which" in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

some of whom

Refers to people instead of things, otherwise very similar.

certain of which

Emphasizes definiteness or specificity within the subset.

a portion of which

Highlights the fractional aspect of the subset.

a number of which

Focuses on quantity, implying multiple items within the subset.

several of which

Similar to 'a number of which', but suggests a less precise count.

many of which

Indicates a large proportion of the whole.

parts of which

Emphasizes the components making up a larger whole.

elements of which

Focuses on specific components or aspects.

aspects of which

Highlights particular features or characteristics.

certain aspects of which

Highlights particular features or characteristics with certainty.

FAQs

How to use "some of which" in a sentence?

"Some of which" is used to refer to a part of a previously mentioned group or set. For example: "I have many hobbies, "some of which" are quite expensive."

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

You can use alternatives like "certain of which", "a number of which", or "several of which" depending on the context.

When should I use "some of whom" instead of "some of which"?

Use "some of whom" when referring to people and ""some of which"" when referring to things. For example: "I invited many friends, some of whom couldn't attend" versus "I bought several books, "some of which" were new."

Is it correct to start a sentence with "some of which"?

While grammatically correct, starting a sentence with ""some of which"" can sound awkward. It's generally better to combine it with the previous clause for smoother reading. For example: "I have many ideas, "some of which" I plan to implement soon."