ENGLISH
REFERENCE

the vast majority of sth

fixed phr..
B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford

fixed phr.. almost all of a group of people or things. You use this to show that only a very small number are different.

fixed phr.. a quantifier phrase used to indicate a significant preponderance, typically exceeding 80-90% of a total set.


SIMPLE

The vast majority of students passed the exam.

CONTEXTUAL

The vast majority of people in this city use public transport to get to work every day.

COMPLEX

While there were some vocal critics of the new policy, the vast majority of shareholders voted in favour of the merger during the annual meeting.

Usage

Functions as a complex determiner followed by a plural or uncountable noun.

Teaching tip

encourage students to use 'vast' instead of just 'great' or 'big' to sound more natural in academic or professional writing; it emphasizes the scale of the majority.

Pitfall

the vast majority of the people lives herethe vast majority of the people live herewhen 'majority of' is followed by a plural noun, the verb must also be plural.

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