I
noun
1
BAD : In spite of the film's many faults, in the overall it's worth seeing.
GOOD : In spite of the film's many faults, on the whole it's worth seeing.
BAD : England is okay on the overall, although some places are very dirty.
GOOD : England is okay on the whole, although some places are very dirty.
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on the whole = in general: 'On the whole, the people I've been dealing with have been very cooperative.'
Compare: 'Her overall command of English is excellent.' 'On the whole her command of English is excellent.'
2
BAD : The important thing is your score in overall.
GOOD : The important thing is your overall score.
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Overall may be used as an adjective or adverb (NOT as a noun after in/on ): 'The examination counts for 60 per cent of your overall grade.' 'You would have done better overall if you hadn't spent so long on the essay question.'
II
adjective
BAD : His idea of a good time included the sun, the sea, jokes, laughter, and overall friendship.
GOOD : His idea of a good time included the sun, the sea, jokes, laughter, and above all friendship.
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overall = (adv) (1) including everything: 'How much will the holiday cost, overall?' (2) generally: 'Overall, the weather in this area is good.'
overall = (adj) including everything: 'We're concerned about the overall effect of these films on younger viewers.'
above all = most importantly: 'Get plenty of sleep, eats lots of good food, and above all try to relax.' 'The sort of person we are looking for must be well qualified, suitably experienced, easy to get on with, and above all able to work independently.'