INDEX:
1. when something is true about most situations, people, or events
2. ways of expressing a general opinion
RELATED WORDS
see also
↑ MOST
↑ USUALLY
↑ SUMMARIZE
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1. when something is true about most situations, people, or events
▷ in general/generally/in most cases /ɪn ˈdʒen ə rəl, ˈdʒen ə rəli, ɪn ˈməʊst ˌkeɪsə̇z/ [adverb]
use this to say that something is usually true :
▪ Women generally live longer than men.
▪ In general, jobs for temporary workers are low-paid.
▪ In general, students who get regular exercise do better in school.
▪ Inner-city schools generally achieved lower exam grades than other schools.
▪ Car theft is an increasingly common crime, and in most cases the offender is under 18.
▷ generally speaking/as a rule /ˌdʒen ə rəli ˈspiːkɪŋ, əz ə ˈruːl/ [adverb] especially spoken
use this to introduce a statement about what usually happens or is true :
▪ Generally speaking, bright colors make people feel happier.
▪ As a rule, French wines are more expensive than those from Eastern Europe.
▷ mostly /ˈməʊstli/ [adverb]
use this to say that something is true about most people, things, or occasions :
▪ I drink sugar-free colas, mostly.
▪ The students here are mostly Swiss and German, but sometimes we get a few Japanese, too.
▪ He mostly writes novels, but he’s published a book of poetry too.
▷ most of the time /ˈməʊst əv ðə ˌtaɪm/ [adverb] especially spoken
use this to say that something usually happens :
▪ Our two-year-old is happy most of the time, but he wakes up from his naps in an awful mood.
▪ Most of the time people vote for the party that offers them financial advantages.
▷ on the whole/by and large /ɒn ðə ˈhəʊl, ˌbaɪ ənd ˈlɑːʳdʒ/ [adverb]
use this to say that something is true most of the time but not every time :
▪ By and large, print is easier to read than handwriting.
▪ The candidates that the party selected tended, on the whole, to be middle-aged, male, and white.
▪ Despite their age, the paintings are, on the whole, in very good condition.
▷ for the most part /fəʳ ðə ˈməʊst ˌpɑːʳt/ [adverb] especially written
use this to say that something is true in most cases :
▪ The cell chemistry of these insects is, for the most part, poorly understood.
▪ Ethnic minorities have struggled to retain their cultural identity, and have for the most part succeeded.
▷ tend /tend/ [intransitive verb]
if something tends to happen, it usually happens or is true, but not always :
tend to happen/do something
▪ Young children tend to get sick more often than adults.
▪ What tends to happen is that the poorest families end up in the worst housing.
tend to be somebody who/that
▪ It tends to be the brighter kids who get all the teacher’s attention.
2. ways of expressing a general opinion
▷ in general/generally speaking/generally /ɪn ˈdʒen ə rəl, ˌdʒen ə rəli ˈspiːkɪŋ, ˈdʒen ə rəli/ [adverb] spoken
use this to give your opinion about what is true, what is best, or what people should do, in most cases :
▪ In general I like cats better than dogs.
▪ Generally, t-shirts are the best things for kids to wear almost anywhere.
▪ I think generally speaking that the rural schools provide a better environment for the students.
▷ on the whole/all in all/all things considered /ɒn ðə ˈhəʊl, ˌɔːl ɪn ˈɔːl, ˌɔːl θɪŋz kənˈsɪdəʳd/ [adverb] spoken
use this when you have considered the whole of a situation, including the bad parts, and you are saying what you think or feel about it in general :
▪ It’s been a hard year, but on the whole I’ve learned a lot.
▪ On the whole we’re glad we came to live in Vancouver.
▪ All in all, I think the conference was a great success.
▪ All things considered, I’m sure we made the right decision.
▷ on balance /ɒn ˈbæləns/ [adverb] formal, informal
use this to give an opinion after considering all the arguments for and against that opinion :
▪ On balance I think it would be better to cancel the arrangements.
▪ Students have been very responsible, on balance, when choosing courses to provide a broad education.