for the most part — generalising / mostly
expressionC1IELTS 7+neutraloccasional
Used to say that something is true in general, but not always or in every case.
Say it like a native
Textbook In the preponderance of instances, this holds true.
Native For the most part, that's true.
'In the preponderance of instances' is academic; 'for the most part' is the natural hedge.
Pattern: for the most part, [clause]
In use
- For the most part, people in my city are friendly and willing to help.daily life
- For the most part, I think technology has improved our daily lives, although there are some drawbacks, like people spending too much time on their phones.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ For most part, I agree.
✓ For the most part, I agree.
Need 'the' — 'for THE most part'.
Common collocations
for the most part— true, agree, fine, quiet
Don't confuse it
Similar to 'by and large', but 'for the most part' can sound slightly more informal and is often used to introduce a main point with some exceptions.