a less proportion of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a less proportion of" is not correct in standard English; it should be "a smaller proportion of." You can use the corrected phrase when discussing quantities or ratios in a comparative context.
Example: "The study found that there was a smaller proportion of participants who preferred option A over option B."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

However, Caco-2 cells provided with OA referentially promote accumulation of cellular ApoB100, resulting in a less proportion of apoB48 relative to apoB100.

BioMed Research International

Also using only Mitotracker Red CMXRos, small oocytes (around 40 μm) showed a less proportion of red-stained mitochondria, while in mature (around 100 μm) and spawned eggs, the mitochondrial mass was red-stained pointing to an overall high Δψm.

Biology Direct

One limitation of this study is that the sample consisted of more pre-clinical students than clinical ones and, therefore, may have had a less proportion of students who were exposed to a rural training program or to senior colleagues, resulting in underestimation of the intention to practice medicine in rural areas or to migrate outside Ethiopia.

BMC Medical Education

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

The MILD sample had a significantly less proportion of individuals with WAD-grade II compared to the MOD/SEV sample.

BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders

It can be seen that, compared to the single factor risk assessment approach, a much less proportion of participants require drug treatment when they are scored by the WHO/ISH Tool.

BMJ Open

After exclusion of these cases from the analyses, we found that the association between HED frequency and risk of alcohol related injury was of a straight linear kind, but, compared to the main analyses, the association was clearly attenuated, and a slightly less proportion of these injuries were found among the group of high risk drinkers.

BMC Public Health

The termination rate caps apply only to calls, which are likely to account for a less significant proportion of mobile phone companies' revenues over the next four years, added Ofcom.

Independent

In a genetic cross between mice harboring a single Nodal null allele (Nodal-LacZ) and a single Pign gnz allele (i.e. Nodal +/LacZ × Pign +/gnz or Nodal +/LacZ; Pign +/gnz × wildtype) we observed a less than expected proportion of Nodal-LacZ: gnz trans-heterozygotes at E7.5 (18.1%, n = 115; P value>0.05 using χ test).

Biology Open

A limitation of this study is that the sample represented a smaller and probably less representative proportion of ambulance professionals than was the case with the other health professions surveyed.

BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making

Bolivia, for example, tries to grab 80% of a firm's profits but ends up raising far less, as a proportion of GDP, than low-tax Chile, which accordingly has much better roads, schools and public health care.This year's report adds two new measures.

The Economist

And it's startling that the richest third of donors in Britain give less, as a proportion of their income, to charity than the poorest third.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use "smaller proportion of" instead of "a less proportion of" for grammatical correctness.

Common error

Avoid using "less" with countable nouns like "proportion". "Less" is for uncountable nouns, while "fewer" or "smaller" should be used with countable nouns. For example, use "a smaller proportion" instead of "a less proportion".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a less proportion of" functions as a determiner phrase modifying a noun. Although Ludwig's examples demonstrate its presence in various texts, it's important to note that using "less" with "proportion" is grammatically questionable; therefore, consider using alternatives like "smaller".

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

67%

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "a less proportion of" appears in some sources, it's generally considered grammatically incorrect. As Ludwig AI points out, the more appropriate and accurate alternative is "a smaller proportion of". When aiming for clarity and grammatical precision, especially in formal or academic writing, it's advisable to use "smaller", "lower", or "reduced" instead of "less" when referring to proportions. This ensures better communication and avoids potential misunderstandings. Always prefer the grammatically sound option to maintain credibility in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a smaller proportion of

Replaces "less" with "smaller", correcting the grammatical error while maintaining the intended meaning of a reduced quantity.

a lower proportion of

Substitutes "less" with "lower", providing a grammatically sound alternative to indicate a reduced amount.

a reduced proportion of

Uses "reduced" to convey the idea of a decreased quantity, offering a more formal alternative.

a diminished proportion of

Employs "diminished" to suggest a decrease in quantity, highlighting a more significant reduction.

a decreased proportion of

Utilizes "decreased" as a direct substitute for "less", maintaining the comparative aspect of the original phrase.

a slighter proportion of

Replaces "less" with "slighter", indicating a small reduction or decrease in the amount.

a tinier proportion of

Offers a more informal and emphatic way to express a very small reduction in proportion.

a minimal proportion of

Indicates that the proportion is very small or close to zero.

a negligible proportion of

Suggests that the proportion is so small that it is practically unimportant.

an insignificant proportion of

Emphasizes that the proportion is not large enough to be worth considering.

FAQs

What's the proper way to say "a less proportion of"?

The correct way to express a smaller quantity or degree is to use "a smaller proportion of".

Is it grammatically correct to say "a less proportion of"?

No, it's not grammatically correct. "Less" should be used with uncountable nouns. For countable nouns like "proportion", you should use "a smaller proportion of".

What are some alternatives to "a less proportion of"?

Alternatives include "a lower proportion of", "a reduced proportion of", or "a diminished proportion of".

Which is more accurate, "a less proportion of" or "a smaller proportion of"?

"A smaller proportion of" is more accurate and grammatically correct. "Less" is typically used with uncountable nouns, while "smaller" is used with countable nouns.