the bulk of students

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "the bulk of students" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to the majority or largest part of a group of students in various contexts, such as academic discussions or surveys. Example: "The bulk of students preferred online classes over traditional in-person lectures."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

And now FE colleges are expected to serve the bulk of students pursuing foundation degrees.

The Guardian

No longer would the bulk of students be forced to take them at the same time during the summer; instead, they could be more evenly distributed throughout the year, allowing more students to participate.

The New York Times

On Wednesday, a Supreme Court justice in Manhattan, Leland DeGrasse, struck down the state's complex system for financing local public schools, saying that they failed to give New York children a decent education and, thus, discriminated against minorities, who make up the bulk of students in the city.

The New York Times

The bulk of students' responses related to their perceptions of videos.

Smart Learning Environments

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

While the bulk of student debt is made up of federal student loans, more than $8 billion in private loans are in default, according to the agency's research.

The New York Times

Apart from being able to support the bulk of student activity in suitable disciplines such as computer programming, Web-based educational systems have the potential to yield valuable insights into student behavior.

International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education

Because federal loans and guarantees account for the bulk of student lending, the government's practices are key.

Huffington Post

But the rule does little to address drop-outs, who make up the bulk of student loan defaults.

Huffington Post

THE BOTTOM LINE Students with learning disabilities or A.D.H.D. now make up the bulk of disabled students seeking special accommodations, though they are a small percentage of all takers of the ACT (nearly 4 percent) and SAT (about 2 percent).

The New York Times

Walking through the hallways when the bulk of the students were in attendance was nerve-racking (and a fire hazard), especially if the sheer volume of people in the hallway made you late to class.

The New York Times

10.40am: Encouragement for the bulk of the students' action yesterday comes from smcgrath below the line, who points out that Gove's assertion as to what he will respond to does not apply to most of those on the streets yesterday: Still in shock at Gove's pitiful response yesterday on the BBC.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about student populations, consider the context and choose the most appropriate synonym for "the bulk of students". While "the bulk of students" is acceptable, "most students" or "the majority of students" may be more suitable for less formal writing.

Common error

Avoid using "the bulk of students" excessively in informal contexts. Simpler alternatives like "most students" often improve readability and clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "the bulk of students" functions as a determiner phrase followed by a noun, specifying a large proportion of students. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage, showcasing its role in identifying a significant portion of a student population.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "the bulk of students" is a grammatically sound phrase used to denote the majority of a student population. While Ludwig confirms its correctness, it's worth noting that its formality level is neutral to formal, making it suitable for news reporting and academic discussions but less so for casual conversation. Simpler alternatives like "most students" may be preferable in less formal settings. Analysis of usage patterns shows that "the bulk of students" is commonly found in News & Media and Science contexts. While perfectly acceptable, writers should consider the audience and context when choosing between this phrase and its synonyms.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

most students

This is a simpler and more direct way of saying the same thing, without the slightly more formal "bulk".

the majority of students

Replaces "bulk" with "majority", offering a synonym with a similar level of formality.

the greater part of students

This alternative changes "bulk" to "greater part", maintaining the emphasis on the larger share.

a significant portion of students

Emphasizes the importance of the group of students being discussed, while remaining relatively formal.

a substantial segment of students

Similar to 'significant portion' but uses 'segment' to highlight the group within a larger population.

the main body of students

Uses "main body" to convey the idea of the primary group, suitable for formal contexts.

a large number of students

Focuses on the quantity of students, rather than the proportion, and it's less concise.

the principal part of students

Emphasizes the primary or leading component of the student population.

the predominant number of students

Highlights that the students mentioned outnumber other groups.

the mass of students

This phrase is less common and more emphatic but synonymous.

FAQs

What does "the bulk of students" mean?

The phrase "the bulk of students" means the majority or the largest part of a group of students. It is used to indicate that a significant number of students share a particular characteristic or opinion.

What can I say instead of "the bulk of students"?

You can use alternatives like "most students", "the majority of students", or "a large number of students" depending on the context.

Is "the bulk of students" formal or informal?

"The bulk of students" is considered more formal than alternatives like "most students". The choice depends on the intended audience and the overall tone of your writing.

How do I use "the bulk of students" in a sentence?

You can use "the bulk of students" in a sentence like this: "The bulk of students preferred online classes over traditional in-person lectures."