the majority of students

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "the majority of students" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you are referring to more than half of a group of students. For example, "The majority of students in the class agreed to organize a group project."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

The majority of students declare majors in the liberal arts or business.

Wikipedia

The majority of students change their majors in college, and several major changes are not unusual.

The New York Times

The majority of students end up in careers unrelated to their major.

WikiHow

"The majority of students still live in HMOs," says Pullan.

Independent

Moreover, college administrators say, the majority of students are well behaved.

The New York Times

The majority of students live in privately rented accommodation during their first year.

The Guardian

The majority of students who responded to our question said yes.

The Guardian

For the majority of students and teachers, it was mostly a matter of adjustment.

The New York Times

The majority of students live on campus and take their meals there.

The Guardian

First you need to remember that the majority of students get the grades they need.

The Guardian

She is the face of the majority of students on many campuses today.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "the majority of students", ensure you have a well-defined group of students in mind. Be specific about which student population you are referring to for clarity.

Common error

Avoid assuming "the majority of students" refers to all students everywhere. Always provide context to define the student population you're discussing, such as "the majority of students in this class" or "the majority of students at this university."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "the majority of students" functions as a determiner phrase. It identifies a specific subset of students, indicating that more than half of the members within a defined student population are being referred to. Ludwig provides examples of its use in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

37%

Science

37%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "the majority of students" is a correct and highly usable phrase to describe that more than half the population of students is being referenced. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and shows its wide use across diverse fields, including News & Media, Science, and Wiki sources. When using this phrase, it is important to define which students are being referred to and ensure that the claim is supported by data or evidence. While alternatives like "most students" and "a significant portion of students" exist, "the majority of students" is a clear and common way to communicate a general trend or characteristic within a student body.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

most students

This alternative replaces "the majority of" with the simpler "most", making it more concise.

over half of the students

This phrase provides a more explicit quantification, emphasizing that more than 50% of students are included.

most of the student population

This alternative emphasizes the entire student population, with the focus on the greater part of it.

a significant portion of students

This phrase is more formal and emphasizes that a large, important part of the student population is being discussed.

the greater part of students

This is a slightly more archaic but still valid way of saying "the majority", adding a touch of formality.

a large number of students

This option highlights the quantity of students involved, suitable when the exact proportion is less important.

the bulk of students

This alternative emphasizes the substantial mass or size of the student group.

a predominant number of students

This emphasizes that the number of students is both large and influential.

a prevalent section of students

Using "prevalent" emphasizes the widespread nature of this segment of students.

the mass of the student body

This phrase uses "mass" to refer to a large, unified group of students.

FAQs

How can I use "the majority of students" in a sentence?

You can use "the majority of students" to indicate that more than half of a specific group of students share a characteristic or opinion. For example, "The majority of students preferred the overt format".

What are some alternatives to "the majority of students"?

Some alternatives include "most students", "a significant portion of students", or "more than half of the students", depending on the context.

Is it always accurate to use "the majority of students"?

It's important to ensure that your statement is supported by evidence. If you don't have data to back up the claim that more than half of the students share a particular view or characteristic, it's better to use a more cautious phrase like "many students" or "a number of students".

When is it better to use a more specific term instead of "the majority of students"?

If you know the exact percentage of students, using that precise figure is preferable. For example, instead of "the majority of students", you could say "60% of students" if you have that data.