In general means overall, usually, as a rule. At the start of a sentence, it introduces a general rule or an overall assessment that can have exceptions. After a noun, it means “as a whole”: people in general means people as a whole, not anyone in particular.
How would you use in general?
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In general, + clause; noun + in general + verb (= as a whole)
- In general, people who sleep well find it easier to remember new information.
- Students in general spend less on clothes than their parents think.
- In general, I prefer trains to planes, but this time flying is much cheaper.
What changed
First versionI don't drink coffee in general, only green tea.
RevisionI don't drink coffee at all, only green tea.
In general is sometimes used to make a negative sentence stronger, as in I don't drink coffee in general. But this sounds like “on the whole, I don't drink coffee”, which suggests that sometimes you do. To say “not ever, not even a little”, put at all at the end of the negative sentence, so in general was replaced with at all.
When you wrap up a story and get to the point, English speakers say so or anyway: Anyway, I missed the train. In general isn't used this way. And the overview of a chart in IELTS Writing Task 1 is better introduced with Overall: Overall, sales rose over the period.
Your turn
___, the hotel was good: the rooms were clean and the staff were friendly, although breakfast was a bit boring.
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In general — The sentence is positive and gives an overall assessment with a reservation about breakfast, so In general fits. At all strengthens a negative or a question (not at all, Do you like it at all?) and doesn't start a positive sentence.
Write about your shopping habits. Use In general to say what you usually do, and add one exception.
In general, I buy groceries once a week, but when friends come to stay I go to the shop almost every day.
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