which contributed

USAGE SUMMARY

"which contributed" is an entirely correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is often used to connect two related ideas. For example: We researched the data diligently, which contributed to our success.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Academia

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Reference

Social Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Martin also played hurt, which contributed to the decline.

The New York Times - Sports

Companies involved in gas and oil, like Chevron – which contributed $1,262,463 – or ConocoPhillips – which contributed $754,251 – could have much to gain by delaying climate action.

The Guardian

Mr. Saatchi helped to finance the show, as did Christie's, which contributed $50,000.

The New York Times - Arts

Inventories remained high as well, which contributed to the decline in prices.

The New York Times

As a style Baroque was highly adaptable, which contributed to its global success.

The New York Times - Arts

That critical moment has passed, like the Modernism which contributed to it.

The Guardian - Books

Both Birdman and The Revenant are incredible technical accomplishments, which contributed greatly to their success".

The Guardian - Film

Like Enron, Penn Square amassed huge liabilities off the balance sheet, which contributed to its demise.

The New York Times

Irrespective of motive, it was a serious error which contributed to a slow-motion stockmarket crash.

The Guardian - Business

Last year, taxes were cut, which contributed to a budget problem and less money for education.

The New York Times

The police said they were now investigating the assault, which contributed to his death.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid overuse by varying your sentence structure with synonyms like "that played a role in" or "that was instrumental in" to maintain reader engagement.

Common error

Avoid using "that contributed" when "which contributed" is appropriate. "Which" introduces nonessential, additional information, while "that" introduces essential information. If the sentence still makes sense without the clause, use "which".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "which contributed" functions as a nonrestrictive relative clause, providing additional, non-essential information about a noun or event. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is used to connect related ideas by explaining how something influenced an outcome, offering supplemental details.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

42%

Science

34%

Formal & Business

9%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Wiki

3%

Encyclopedias

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "which contributed" is a versatile phrase used to introduce nonrestrictive clauses that provide additional information about how something played a role in an outcome. Ludwig AI validates its grammatical correctness and common usage across various contexts. It functions to explain relationships between events, often found in news, scientific, and formal writing. To improve writing, remember to use "which" for nonessential clauses and vary sentence structure to avoid repetition. The phrase's widespread use is reflected in its frequent appearance in authoritative sources like The New York Times and The Guardian.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

that helped to cause

Emphasizes the direct causal effect, replacing the more general "contributed" with a stronger verb.

that played a role in

Highlights the involvement or influence of something, rather than a direct contribution.

that was instrumental in

Suggests a critical or essential contribution, making it a stronger alternative.

that was a factor in

Indicates that something was one of several things that influenced an outcome.

that led to

Focuses on the consequence or result of the contribution.

that aided in

Emphasizes the assistance or support provided, rather than the direct impact.

that facilitated

Highlights the ease or enablement that the contribution provided.

that fostered

Suggests nurturing or promoting a particular outcome.

that promoted

Implies advancement or encouragement of a particular outcome.

that spurred

Focuses on initiating or motivating a particular outcome.

FAQs

How can I use "which contributed" in a sentence?

Use "which contributed" to add nonessential information that explains how something influenced an outcome. For example, "The heavy rain, "which contributed" to the flooding, caused significant damage."

What are some alternatives to using "which contributed"?

Depending on the context, consider alternatives like "that helped to cause", "that played a role in", or "that was a factor in".

Is it better to use "which contributed to" or "that contributed to"?

Use "which contributed to" when the information is nonessential and provides additional detail. Use "that contributed to" when the information is essential to the meaning of the sentence. The choice depends on whether removing the clause changes the sentence's core meaning.

What's the difference between "which contributed" and "because it contributed"?

"Which contributed" introduces a nonrestrictive clause providing additional information, while "because it contributed" introduces a dependent clause providing a direct reason or explanation. The former adds detail, while the latter establishes a causal link.