a half amount of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a half amount of" is not correct in standard written English.
It is generally better to use "half of" when referring to a portion or quantity. Example: "Please give me half of the cake."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Due to the dual functionality of difunctional peroxide, the ethylene conversion obtained was about twice as much as that obtained with monofunctional peroxide, for only a half amount of the initial initiator concentration.

Chemical Engineering Science

The line broadening due to the intermediate exchange regime is known to be most remarkable when a half amount of protein is in a free form and another half amount of protein is in a complex form.

Cell and Bioscience

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Surprisingly, a gpdA transformant produced only half amount of itaconic acid in comparison to the parental strain.

BMC Biotechnology

The order of adding the materials was as follows: half amount of HDPE, CNFs, and then another half amount of HDPE.

Nanoscale Res Lett

When CHT was used to adsorb bivalent cation (Me2+), the maximum amount of adsorption was the half amount of Mg2+, and MgMeAl-LDH was formed by dissociation-deposition.

Microporous and Mesoporous Materials

Their lateral bending ranges were about the half amount of the angulation findings in our healthy subjects.

BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders

"But in the last year to year and a half the amount of work I've done on V.Q.R. has been at times overwhelming".

The New York Times - Books

Pre-amplification was shown to introduce significant technical variability, which was partially alleviated by lowering to a half the amount of input RNA.

Experimental and Molecular Pathology

Do this on about a half inch amount of hair.

WikiHow

Many cooks recommend using one-third to a half the amount of dried herb to fresh herb.

WikiHow

You may wish to tweak the "rice to water ratio" with experience - for example: for larger quantities of rice, you may find a little less or more than one and a half the amount of water results in better rice.

WikiHow

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When referring to a portion that is one half, use the phrase "half of" followed by the item you are quantifying. For example, instead of "a half amount of water", use "half of the water".

Common error

Avoid using "a half amount of". The indefinite article "a" is unnecessary and grammatically incorrect. Use "half the amount" or "half of the amount" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a half amount of" functions as a quantifier attempting to specify a portion. However, it is not grammatically correct. Ludwig AI indicates that the correct phrasing is "half of".

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

25%

Wiki

25%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a half amount of" is grammatically incorrect and should be avoided in formal writing. As Ludwig AI suggests, it is better to use "half of" or "half the amount" instead. Although the phrase appears in various contexts, including science and news, its infrequent and incorrect usage lowers its overall reliability and acceptance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

half the amount

Uses standard phrasing to refer to one half of a quantity.

half of the quantity

More explicit about the nature of the portion.

50 percent of the amount

Expresses the fraction as a percentage.

a portion equal to half

Describes a quantity that is equivalent to one half.

one half of the total

Highlights that the fraction is part of a whole amount.

half the portion

Specifies the split of a certain portion or serving.

a moiety of the quantity

Uses a less common, more formal term to indicate half.

a reduction by half

Focuses on the decrease in the initial amount.

fifty percent

States the fraction without specifying "of the amount".

half as much

Focuses on comparing the quantity to another reference amount.

FAQs

What's a better way to say "a half amount of"?

The preferred phrasing is "half the amount" or "half of the amount". These options are grammatically sound and commonly used.

Is "a half amount of" grammatically correct?

No, "a half amount of" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI suggests that "half of" is a more appropriate construction.

Can I use "a half of" instead of "a half amount of"?

Yes, "a half of" is better than "a half amount of", but "half of" is still the most common and recommended phrasing.

When should I use "half the amount"?

Use "half the amount" when referring to a specific, previously mentioned quantity. For instance, "Use half the amount of sugar the recipe calls for."