Word
partly
Phoneticspart·ly, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈpɑɹtɫi/
UK/pˈɑːtli/
Adverb of degree
Definition
adv. to some degree, but not completely. You use this when you want to say that something is only a small piece of the whole story.
adv. to a limited extent or degree; in part. Often used to introduce one of several contributing factors or reasons.
Examples
“The roof is partly made of glass.”
“The project failed partly because of poor planning and partly due to a lack of funding.”
“The success of the urban renewal initiative can be attributed partly to increased private investment and partly to the grassroots efforts of local community leaders.”
Examples
simple
“The roof is partly made of glass.”
contextual
“The project failed partly because of poor planning and partly due to a lack of funding.”
complex
“The success of the urban renewal initiative can be attributed partly to increased private investment and partly to the grassroots efforts of local community leaders.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “partly” in context.
Verb
01. partly account
“Bad weather may partly account for the low turnout at the event.”
adv + verb
02. partly base
“The movie is partly based on a true story from the 1920s.”
adv + verb
03. partly depend
“Success will partly depend on how well the team communicates.”
adv + verb
04. partly reflect
“The new policy may partly reflect the public's growing concerns.”
adv + verb
05. partly result
“The increase in sales partly resulted from the recent marketing campaign.”
adv + verb
Usage
Typically placed before the adjective or verb it modifies, or used in the construction 'partly... partly...' to list multiple causes.
Pitfall
The house is part made of wood
The house is partly made of wood
Learners often use the noun or adjective 'part' instead of the adverb 'partly' to modify a verb or adjective.
Real-World Examples
“At the moment, since that last hysteroscopy, every medical appointment makes me cry and panic.” Harris is taking this route partly so that she will never need another one.” “This is partly because it doesn’t have its own blood supply .” Etymology
From part + -ly.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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