which contributes

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "which contributes" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something adds to or enhances a particular situation, idea, or outcome. Example: "The new policy, which contributes to employee satisfaction, has been well received by the staff."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

She's not single by choice, which contributes to her vulnerability.

The New Yorker

All of which contributes to how much we sit.

The New York Times

Preterm infants have immature skin, which contributes to skin problems.

Early Human Development

First, there should be an international programme to combat deforestation, which contributes 15-20% of emissions.

The Guardian - Opinion

Hospitals are concerned about costs, which contributes to observation purgatory designations.

The Guardian - Opinion

The hybrid buses did, however, produce more nitrogen oxide, which contributes to ground-level ozone.

The New York Times

Alongside that, we've grown a very important home space industry which contributes fantastically to the economy".

The Guardian

(We never fully discover why Severin is there, which contributes to the book's sometimes surreal logic).

The New Yorker

Search costs slow down job matching, which contributes to unemployment and job vacancies.

The New York Times

Badu thinks a lot about presentation, which contributes to her judiciousness in releasing new music.

The New Yorker

That repetition appears to create real, interconnected strategic benefits, each of which contributes to competitive advantage.

Harvard Business Review

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "which contributes" to clearly establish a causal relationship or to indicate that something has an impact on a specific outcome. Ensure the sentence structure is clear and the relationship between the elements is easily understood.

Common error

Avoid using "that" instead of "which" when introducing a nonrestrictive clause. "Which" is appropriate when the clause provides additional, non-essential information. Using "that" in such cases can make the sentence grammatically incorrect or awkward.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "which contributes" functions as a relative clause, adding information about the subject of the main clause. It indicates a causal relationship, specifying how something influences or impacts another element. This is evident in many of the Ludwig examples, where it links a cause to an effect.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

38%

Academia

32%

Science

24%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Encyclopedias

1%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "which contributes" is a frequently used and grammatically sound relative clause that effectively conveys a causal relationship. Ludwig's analysis, consistent with the AI assessment, indicates its prevalence across diverse contexts, notably in news, academic, and scientific domains. The phrase serves to elaborate on how something influences a particular outcome, making it a valuable tool for precise and informative writing. Remembering to use "which" for nonrestrictive clauses and "that" for restrictive clauses is key to avoiding grammatical errors.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

that adds to

Changes the relative pronoun "which" to "that" and uses the phrasal verb "adds to" for a slightly more informal tone.

that plays a part in

Replaces "contributes" with "plays a part in", emphasizing the involvement in a process or outcome.

that is a factor in

Replaces "contributes" with "is a factor in", focusing on the element that influences a result.

that is instrumental in

Substitutes "contributes" with "is instrumental in", highlighting the essential role something plays.

that enhances

Substitutes "contributes" with "enhances", emphasizing the improvement or augmentation something provides.

that leads to

Shifts the focus to the result by using "leads to" instead of directly stating the contribution.

that promotes

Replaces "contributes" with "promotes", suggesting an active role in furthering or encouraging something.

that supports

Uses "supports" to imply a contributing role, emphasizing the act of providing assistance or reinforcement.

that aids in

Uses "aids in" to convey the sense of assisting or helping to achieve a particular outcome.

that assists with

Similar to "aids in", but uses "assists with" to highlight the supportive role in a particular action or process.

FAQs

How do I use "which contributes" in a sentence?

Use "which contributes" to introduce a clause that provides additional information about how something influences or affects a particular outcome. For example, "The new policy, "which contributes" to employee satisfaction, has been well-received."

What are some alternatives to "which contributes"?

You can use alternatives like "that adds to", "that plays a part in", or "that is a factor in" depending on the context and the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is there a difference between "that contributes" and "which contributes"?

"Which contributes" typically introduces a nonrestrictive clause, providing extra information that isn't essential to the sentence's core meaning. "That contributes" would introduce a restrictive clause, essential for defining what is being discussed.

Can "which contributes" be used in formal writing?

Yes, "which contributes" is suitable for formal writing. It's grammatically correct and commonly used in academic, scientific, and professional contexts to explain causal relationships.