Meaning
Used to indicate that something happens or is true most of the time—i.e., usually; more than half the instances.
Primary Function
frequency / generalization marker
Communicative Purpose
To express a habitual truth or tendency about events or behaviors.
Pattern
more often than not
Core Structure
more often than not
Função primária
frequency / generalization marker
Propósito comunicativo
To express a habitual truth or tendency about events or behaviors.
Situações de gatilho
When describing regular habits (e.g., “He arrives late more often than not”), statistical tendencies, or common outcomes.
Contextos
spoken conversation, informal writing, news commentary – neutral tone across registers.
Padrão
more often than not
Estrutura central
more often than not
Slots de substituição
The expression is a fixed phrase and cannot be altered; it functions as a whole, but synonyms such as "usually", "as a rule", or "for the most part" can be used in its place.
Colocados típicos
- and
- but
- however
Substituições comuns
- usually
- for the most part
- as a rule
Erros comuns
wrong order, such as 'more than often not'
Similar / contraste
by and large, typically, usually, sometimes
Interferências
Learners might confuse 'more often than not' with 'more often than never', which is not a valid expression.
Família do chunk
- frequency / generalization
Nuance
Conveys a sense of casual certainty without implying absolute inevitability, softer than 'always' but stronger than 'sometimes'.
Efeito pragmático
Signals that the speaker believes the described event is reliably frequent in typical situations, conveying a sense of habitual truth or tendency.
Dica de memória
More often than not, it happens
Nota
Not applicable
Upgrade path
often → more often than not → typically
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