a half of them

USAGE SUMMARY

It is correct and usable in written English.
You can use "a half of them" when you are speaking about a group or collection of things or people that can be divided into two equally sized parts. For example, "I have twenty students in my class and a half of them are finishing their project today."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

39 human-written examples

— Stars, but only two and a half of them.

The New York Times

"Only one and a half of them can be considered lesbian.

The New York Times - Books

He has nine sacks, six and a half of them in the last three games.

The New York Times - Sports

If you're cooking for both meat-eaters and vegetarians, make a batch using mushrooms alone, about a pound and a half of them.

The New York Times - Health

Most young people complete secondary- or high-school education; between a quarter and a half of them go on to full-time higher education.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Five dramas, two and a half of them set in Africa, one of them scripted in German, two of them adapted from literary novels.

Independent

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

21 human-written examples

"So, of the big five -- about to become the big six -- five-and-a-half of them didn't exist a year ago," Mr. Holbrooke said.

The New York Times

Related: Air Pollution Kills 5.5 Million People a Year — Over Half of Them in China, India.

Vice

Related: Air Pollution Kills 5.5 Million People a Year –– Over Half of Them in China, India.

Vice

Slightly more than a third of the families attended treatment once a week, half of them more often (maximum three days a week) and the rest less frequently.

Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health

"A good half of them are not great".

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a half of them", ensure the context clearly defines the group being referred to. This avoids ambiguity and makes your writing more precise.

Common error

Avoid using "a half of them" when the group being referred to is not clearly defined or easily quantifiable. Instead, clarify the specific group you're discussing before mentioning the half.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a half of them" functions as a quantifier, specifying a proportion of a previously mentioned group. Ludwig AI confirms it as correct. It indicates that 50% of the group is being referred to.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a half of them" serves to quantify a portion of a group, specifically indicating 50%. While grammatically correct, Ludwig AI confirms it might sound slightly less natural than the more common "half of them". It finds use in news, science, and business contexts, reflecting a neutral register. For clarity, ensure the group being referenced is well-defined. Alternative phrases such as "approximately half of them" or "fifty percent of them" offer similar meanings with varying degrees of formality.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

approximately half of them

Adds a degree of imprecision or estimation to the quantity.

around half of them

Similar to 'approximately', indicating an estimate rather than an exact amount.

a proportion of them

Replaces "half" with a more general term indicating a part of the whole.

fifty percent of them

Expresses the fraction as a percentage for added clarity.

a significant portion of them

Emphasizes that the "half" is noteworthy or substantial.

a good fraction of them

Uses the term 'fraction' instead of 'half', broadening the scope to any portion.

a considerable number of them

Shifts the focus from the 'half' to the quantity, indicating it is significant.

a percentage of them

Replaces "half" with a more general reference to a part.

part of them

Indicates that an unspecified portion is under discussion.

some of them

Expresses an indefinite amount without specifying any particular fraction.

FAQs

How do I use "a half of them" in a sentence?

Use "a half of them" when you want to indicate that 50% of a specific group is performing an action or possesses a certain quality. For instance, "I interviewed ten candidates, and "a half of them" had the required qualifications".

Is "a half of them" interchangeable with "half of them"?

While similar, "half of them" is more common and often preferred for conciseness. "A half of them" is grammatically correct but can sound slightly less natural in some contexts.

What are some alternative ways to express "a half of them"?

You can use phrases like "approximately half of them", "around half of them", or "fifty percent of them" to add nuance or formality depending on your writing style and the context.

When is it better to use a more precise fraction instead of "a half of them"?

If the actual proportion is not exactly 50%, it's more accurate to use a specific fraction like "a third of them", "a quarter of them", or "a significant portion of them" to reflect the actual distribution within the group.