some of which were

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "some of which were" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use this phrase when you want to list items, and then explain what happened to some of them. For example: "I had several books on my shelf, some of which were old and falling apart."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Marc had various ideas, some of which were not possible.

The Guardian - Arts

Bluepoints produced 15 million seeds last year, some of which were sold to other companies.

The New York Times

There were long pauses between many of the pope's words, some of which were barely discernible.

The New York Times

"We have discovered five fireplaces, some of which were closed up".

The New York Times - Arts

They were selected from submissions to the page, some of which were solicited by the editors.

The New York Times

The request was one of many made by the defense, only some of which were granted.

The New York Times

The cans, some of which were stored under the bed, were starting to explode.

The New York Times

There were universal accusations of bad faith, only some of which were justified.

The New York Times - Books

Agricultural villages grew into urban centers, some of which were in time ruled by local kings.

The New York Times - Science

They produced 10 turnovers in the first 24 minutes, some of which were unforced and clumsy.

The New York Times - Sports

Quickly obsessed, he started making his own tracks, some of which were played on Rinse FM.

The Guardian - Music

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "some of which were", ensure the antecedent is clearly defined to avoid ambiguity about what "which" refers to.

Common error

Avoid using "some of which were" if the noun it refers to is not immediately clear in the preceding sentence. This can cause confusion and make the sentence difficult to understand.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "some of which were" functions as a relative clause, specifically a non-defining relative clause, providing additional but non-essential information about a subset of a previously mentioned noun phrase. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Formal & Business

3%

Social Media

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "some of which were" is a versatile phrase used to add detail about a subset of a previously mentioned group. Ludwig AI confirms that it is grammatically correct and suitable for various contexts, particularly in news, science, and encyclopedia articles. While predominantly neutral to formal in tone, it’s crucial to ensure clarity in the antecedent to avoid confusion. Alternatives include "several of which were", "a few of which were", and "many of which were", depending on the desired emphasis on quantity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

several of which were

Replaces "some" with "several", indicating a larger unspecified quantity but still less than all.

a few of which were

Replaces "some" with "a few", suggesting a smaller quantity.

many of which were

Emphasizes a larger proportion of the total compared to "some".

certain of which were

Highlights that specific items within the group met a particular condition.

various of which were

Indicates diversity within the subset, with different items having different attributes.

portions of which were

Focuses on parts of a whole rather than distinct items.

elements of which were

Highlights that components within something shared the same characteristics.

aspects of which were

Emphasizes particular facets or viewpoints shared by multiple units.

a number of which were

Indicates an unspecified, but notable quantity with similar traits.

examples of which were

Focuses on instances that share traits rather than parts or number.

FAQs

How can I use "some of which were" in a sentence?

Use "some of which were" to provide additional details about a portion of a group previously mentioned. For example, "I bought several books, "some of which were" signed by the author."

What's a good alternative to "some of which were"?

Alternatives include "several of which were", "a few of which were", or "many of which were" depending on the quantity you want to convey.

Is it better to use "some of which was" or "some of which were"?

Use "some of which was" when referring to a singular noun and "some of which were" when referring to a plural noun. For instance, "Some of the cake was eaten" versus "Some of the cookies were eaten."

What is the purpose of using "some of which were" in a sentence?

The purpose is to provide additional, non-essential information about a subset of items. It helps to elaborate on the initial statement without creating separate sentences.