to be generally

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "to be generally" is not grammatically correct and is therefore not usable in written English.
To form a complete sentence, the phrase needs to be expressed in a different way, such as "Generally speaking," or "It is generally assumed." For example, you could say "Generally speaking, the weather in the tropics is hot and humid."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The SaaS is scheduled to be generally available in calendar Q4 of this year.

TechCrunch

Disulphide bonds were thought to be generally very well conserved in proteins [6].

Plosone

Its status appears to be generally satisfactory.

Encyclopedia Britannica

It appears to be generally recognized that Greece is insolvent.

The New York Times

Three-fourths of Americans said they considered such investments to be "generally risky," while just 21percentt said they considered the market to be "generally safe".

The New York Times

The nonpartisan Government Accounting Office found the allegations made before Congress to be generally groundless.

The New York Times

"I consider the objectives that have been set for the Defense Ministry to be generally accomplished".

The New Yorker

By contrast, the national polls before last Tueday's contests turned out to be generally accurate.

The New York Times

The Postal Service also seemed to be generally reluctant to part with the Midtown building.

The New York Times

President Bush was said to be generally supportive of the idea.

The New York Times

And to be generally informed, you also need to be entertained.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "to be generally" in your writing. Instead, opt for grammatically correct alternatives such as "generally speaking" or "in general" for clearer and more effective communication.

Common error

A common mistake is to use "to be" with adverbs incorrectly. Ensure that the adverb modifies the verb appropriately. For instance, instead of "to be generally", use constructions where the adverb directly modifies the verb or adjective, like "is generally accepted".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "to be generally" attempts to function as a modifier, but it lacks grammatical correctness. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's not usable in standard English. Instead, it requires rephrasing to fit grammatically correct structures.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

33%

Encyclopedias

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "to be generally" is grammatically incorrect and should be avoided in formal writing. As Ludwig AI points out, it is not standard English. The single example found shows its attempted use across diverse contexts such as News & Media, Science, and Encyclopedias, further highlighting the need for correct alternatives. Effective substitutions include phrases like "generally speaking" or "in general". Always prioritize grammatical correctness to ensure clarity and credibility in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

generally speaking

Replaces the infinitive construction with an adverbial phrase.

in general

Uses a prepositional phrase to convey a similar meaning of generality.

as a general rule

Expresses a standard or common condition.

typically

Conveys what usually happens or is the case.

usually

Indicates that something happens most of the time.

ordinarily

Describes what is normal or customary.

commonly

Indicates that something is done or found often.

more often than not

Emphasizes the frequency of an event.

for the most part

Indicates that something is true in most instances.

on the whole

Expresses a general overview or summary.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "to be generally" to make it grammatically correct?

Instead of using "to be generally", consider using phrases like "generally speaking", "in general", or rephrase the sentence to use adverbs correctly, such as "is generally considered".

What are some common mistakes to avoid when using adverbs of frequency?

A frequent error is placing adverbs of frequency in incorrect positions within a sentence. Ensure they are placed either before the main verb (except "to be") or after auxiliary verbs. For example, say "I usually go" instead of "I go usually".

Is there a difference between "in general" and "generally speaking"?

"In general" is a broader statement, whereas ""generally speaking"" often introduces a specific observation or opinion that applies widely but may have exceptions.

When should I use "typically" instead of "to be generally"?

Use "typically" when you want to emphasize that something is representative of a particular type or category. For example, "This type of car typically gets good mileage" is more appropriate than "This type of car is to be generally fuel-efficient".