Meaning
Mainly or mostly; indicates that something is largely true but not entirely.
Primary Function
Hedging – expressing partial certainty about a statement.
Communicative Purpose
Limits scope by showing something is largely true without claiming it’s absolute.
Pattern
to a large extent
Core Structure
to a large extent
Função primária
Hedging – expressing partial certainty about a statement.
Propósito comunicativo
Limits scope by showing something is largely true without claiming it’s absolute.
Situações de gatilho
When discussing academic findings, policy impacts, professional reports where nuance matters.
Contextos
Academic writing, formal presentations, technical documentation, legal analysis.
Padrão
to a large extent
Estrutura central
to a large extent
Slots de substituição
great, considerable, significant (e.g., ‘to a great extent’, ‘to a considerable extent’).
Colocados típicos
- depends on
- is determined by
- is true
- holds true
Substituições comuns
- largely
- for the most part
- predominantly
Erros comuns
Incorrect preposition usage such as “in a large extent” instead of “to a large extent”
Similar / contraste
to some extent, by and large, on the whole
Interferências
Avoid confusing with adverbial phrases like 'to a degree' or 'in degree'; ensure correct syntactic placement — it must directly modify the clause without intervening words.
Família do chunk
- Degree-limiting phrases
Nuance
Suggests significant but not total influence, truth, or contribution; implies qualified agreement.
Efeito pragmático
Adds credibility and intellectual humility in academic or formal discourse by acknowledging partial truth.
Dica de memória
Mostly true
Nota
This phrase is useful for expressing that something is mostly true or accurate without asserting total certainty. It can be used in various contexts where nuance and precision are important.
Upgrade path
to a large extent → for the most part → predominantly
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