Learn how to skillfully incorporate the word “mostly” into your sentences to convey prevalence, likelihood, habits, and more. Explore examples and guidelines for effective usage.
Definition of Mostly
“Mostly” is an adverb that is used to indicate that something occurs or is true to a great extent or in the majority of cases, but not necessarily all the time or in every instance. It suggests a predominance or a high degree of something without implying absolute certainty or completeness. For example, if you say, “I mostly eat vegetables for dinner,” it means that you primarily or predominantly consume vegetables, but there may be occasional exceptions where you eat something else.
How is “Mostly” used in English? What are the rules of use of “Mostly”?
“Mostly” is a versatile adverb in English that is used to convey that something occurs or is true to a great extent or in the majority of cases. Here are some common ways “mostly” is used in English, along with guidelines for its use:
- General Prevalence: “Mostly” is often used to describe a prevailing condition or situation. For example:
- “The weather is mostly sunny today.” (Implies that the weather is primarily sunny, with some exceptions.)
- Frequency: It can describe the frequency of an action or event:
- “She mostly exercises in the morning.” (She exercises primarily in the morning, but may do so at other times occasionally.)
- Opinions or Characteristics: “Mostly” can be used to express a general opinion or characteristic:
- “He’s mostly a kind person.” (He is generally kind, but there might be exceptions.)
- Quantitative Statements: It can be used to provide a rough estimate or a proportion:
- “Mostly, about 70% of the project is complete.” (Indicating a rough estimate of completion.)
- Probability and Likelihood: “Mostly” can express the likelihood of something happening:
- “It’s mostly likely going to rain this afternoon.” (There’s a high probability of rain.)
- Conditional Statements: In conditional statements, it can indicate a preference or inclination:
- “I’ll mostly go to the party if I finish my work on time.” (I’m inclined to go to the party, but it depends on completing work.)
Rules of Use:
- “Mostly” typically appears before the verb or adjective it is modifying. For example: “She mostly reads novels.”
- It is often followed by a comma when used at the beginning of a sentence: “Mostly, I enjoy cooking.”
- It can be used in both positive and negative sentences: “He’s mostly happy” or “He’s not mostly happy.”
- While “mostly” implies a high degree, it doesn’t imply exclusivity. There can be exceptions to the prevailing condition or situation it describes.
- The exact degree of prevalence or probability can vary depending on the context. “Mostly” is not a precise measure but rather a general indicator.
In summary, “mostly” is a versatile adverb used to describe a prevailing condition, frequency, likelihood, or general characteristic in English. Its usage provides flexibility in expressing the predominance of something without implying absolute certainty or exclusivity.
How to use the word Mostly in a sentence?
You can use the word “mostly” in a sentence to indicate that something occurs or is true to a great extent or in the majority of cases. Here are some examples of how to use “mostly” in sentences:
- Describing Weather:
- “The weather in this city is mostly sunny during the summer months.”
- Talking About Habits:
- “She mostly exercises in the evenings after work.”
- Expressing Likelihood:
- “It’s mostly likely that the meeting will be rescheduled due to the snowstorm.”
- Discussing Opinions:
- “I find that this book is mostly interesting, but it has some slow parts.”
- Explaining General Conditions:
- “The population of the town is mostly composed of young families.”
- Providing a Proportion:
- “Our team has completed mostly 80% of the project.”
- Conditional Statements:
- “I’ll mostly join the group for dinner if I finish my work on time.”
- Talking About Food Preferences:
- “I mostly prefer vegetarian dishes, but I occasionally eat meat.”
- Discussing Travel Destinations:
- “Their vacations are mostly spent exploring historical sites.”
- Describing Personal Characteristics:
- “He’s mostly a quiet and introverted person, but he can be very sociable at times.”
Remember that “mostly” implies a high degree but not necessarily exclusivity. It suggests a prevailing condition or situation without stating that there are no exceptions. The exact usage and meaning of “mostly” will depend on the context of your sentence.
