was largely consistent

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "was largely consistent" is correct and can be used in written English.
You can use it when you want to emphasize that something stayed unchanged or similar in spite of some variation. For example: "The sales figures for the past year were largely consistent and only fluctuated by a few percent."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"What do they want us to say?" Mr. McCain's message today was largely consistent with the two automated calls.

The New York Times

Apart from evidence that the administration's energy policy was largely consistent with Enron's goals, that claim has gone mostly unchallenged.

The New York Times

Support was largely consistent across different regions of England, contradicting assumptions that people living in London and other major cities are more liberal than others.

The Guardian

Opponents of the death penalty said the study, while unusual in its scope and government sponsorship, was largely consistent with earlier findings in other jurisdictions.

The New York Times

The direction of these effects was largely consistent with the direction of the effect for the strongest predictors in the multifunctionality analyses.

Nature

The Conference Board's report was largely consistent with the initial February findings of the University of Michigan, which conducts a monthly telephone poll and released its results Feb. 16.

The New York Times

The assumption was largely consistent with the actual situation (total evacuation) in 2011.

Journal of Economic Structures

The topology of the strict consensus tree of the 270 equally parsimonious trees was largely consistent with the ML tree (not shown).

Botanical Studies

In our case, SVV occasionally fluttered in the first half of the surgery, but its course was largely consistent with that of ABP when the right adrenal gland vessels were being operated.

JA Clinical Reports

This effect was largely consistent across subgroups of patients who received various types of usual care, more or less than 150 min of exercise per week, and of differing cardiac aetiologies.

Sports Medicine - Open

It was noted that with the cigarette the concentration of nicotine increased per puff, as predicted, yet with the e-cigarette nicotine concentration per puff was largely consistent in delivery.

Chemistry Central Journal

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "was largely consistent", provide context to explain what aspects were consistent and what, if any, variations existed.

Common error

Avoid using "was largely consistent" when significant discrepancies exist. Instead, opt for phrases that acknowledge substantial variation, such as "showed some similarities" or "had mixed results".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "was largely consistent" functions as a descriptive statement, typically used to indicate that two or more things are similar or in agreement to a great extent, although not perfectly so. Ludwig provides numerous examples illustrating this usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

56%

News & Media

25%

Wiki

3%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "was largely consistent" is a grammatically correct and frequently used expression, as confirmed by Ludwig. It serves to convey that something remained similar or unchanged despite minor variations. Its usage spans across various contexts, with a strong presence in scientific and news-related content. When using this phrase, it's important to provide context to clarify what aspects were consistent and acknowledge any deviations. Overstating consistency should be avoided by ensuring significant discrepancies are addressed with alternative phrasing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was mostly in agreement

Replaces "consistent" with "in agreement", softening the assertion of complete uniformity.

was generally in line with

Emphasizes alignment and conformity rather than direct consistency.

remained broadly similar

Uses "similar" instead of "consistent", indicating a resemblance rather than exact match.

showed substantial agreement

Focuses on the degree of agreement observed, implying a quantitative assessment.

largely mirrored

Indicates a direct reflection or imitation, suggesting a closer relationship than consistency.

exhibited considerable uniformity

Highlights the presence of a significant level of sameness or regularity.

demonstrated notable coherence

Highlights the logical connection and clarity in the relationship, rather than mere consistency.

maintained a high level of accordance

Stresses the adherence to a standard or expectation, rather than just consistency.

was virtually identical

Suggests near-perfect sameness, stronger than being "largely consistent".

presented a unified front

Implies a deliberate and coordinated alignment, going beyond simple consistency.

FAQs

How can I use "was largely consistent" in a sentence?

You can use "was largely consistent" to indicate that something remained similar or unchanged despite some variations. For example, "The experimental data "was largely consistent" with the theoretical predictions."

What are some alternatives to "was largely consistent"?

Alternatives include "was mostly in agreement", "was generally in line with", or "showed substantial agreement", depending on the specific context.

Is it appropriate to use "was largely consistent" in formal writing?

Yes, "was largely consistent" is suitable for formal writing as it clearly conveys a degree of agreement or similarity without asserting absolute uniformity.

What's the difference between "was largely consistent" and "was completely consistent"?

"Was completely consistent" implies perfect agreement or sameness, while "was largely consistent" acknowledges minor variations or discrepancies. Therefore, using "was largely consistent" indicates a strong but not absolute consistency.