a lower proportion of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a lower proportion of" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to compare two or more proportions or ratios. For example, "A study conducted in 2018 found that a lower proportion of adults aged 45-64 were employed full-time compared to adults aged 25-44."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Broward County also had a lower proportion of flawed ballots.

The New York Times

Second, rich people give a lower proportion of their income than poor people.

The Guardian

Only Nevada has a lower proportion of native residents than Florida.

The New Yorker

The UK has a lower proportion of people going to university than the US.

The Guardian

However, all three of these questions registered a lower proportion of positive responses than three years ago.

The Guardian

Many free schools have a lower proportion of children on free school meals or those that have special educational needs.

The Guardian - Opinion

Higher collective efficacy and social network size also predicted a lower proportion of substance-exposed infants.

Child Abuse & Neglect

A lower proportion of CH4 and lower synthesis temperature produced fewer graphene layers.

Chemical Physics Letters

Llamas have a lower proportion of heavy chain IgG antibodies in their serum than have camels.

Journal of Immunological Methods

Movement costs are claimed to be a lower proportion of total costs in North America.

European Transport Research Review

The sequence-based algorithm generally identified a lower proportion of the segments than the filtering algorithm.

Urban Rail Transit

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When comparing groups, ensure the denominators (total sizes) are clearly stated to provide context for the "lower proportion".

Common error

Don't assume that "a lower proportion of" automatically implies a significant difference. Statistical tests are necessary to confirm if the difference is meaningful, not just due to chance.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a lower proportion of" functions as a quantifier or determiner phrase. It specifies a relative quantity or amount of something in comparison to a whole or another group. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is grammatically correct and widely applicable.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

53%

News & Media

43%

Formal & Business

4%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a lower proportion of" is a versatile phrase used to express a smaller relative quantity or rate, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. It's most commonly found in scientific and news contexts, serving to compare and contrast different groups or categories. When using this phrase, consider the context and ensure that the comparison is clear and statistically meaningful. While alternatives like "a smaller percentage of" or "a reduced fraction of" can be used, "a lower proportion of" is a precise and widely accepted choice.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a smaller percentage of

Replaces "proportion" with "percentage", focusing on the numerical aspect.

a reduced fraction of

Substitutes "proportion" with "fraction", which is mathematically similar.

a diminished share of

Uses "share" instead of "proportion", implying a smaller part of a whole.

a lesser quantity of

Focuses on the amount rather than the ratio.

a slighter amount of

Emphasizes the smaller quantity, less formal than proportion.

a reduced incidence of

Used when referring to the occurrence of events or cases.

a lower incidence of

Another option when referring to the occurrence of events or cases.

a less frequent occurrence of

Emphasizes the reduced frequency of something happening.

a downward trend in

Indicates a decreasing pattern over time.

a declining rate of

Highlights a decrease in the rate at which something happens.

FAQs

How do I correctly use "a lower proportion of" in a sentence?

Use "a lower proportion of" to compare the relative size of a subgroup within a larger group. For example, "A lower proportion of students chose science compared to arts".

What are some alternatives to saying "a lower proportion of"?

You can use alternatives such as "a smaller percentage of", "a reduced fraction of", or "a diminished share of" depending on the context.

Is there a difference between "a lower proportion of" and "a smaller number of"?

"A lower proportion of" indicates a smaller ratio relative to the whole, while "a smaller number of" simply indicates a smaller quantity, regardless of the total. "A lower proportion of students failed the exam" suggests a smaller percentage failed compared to previous years, while "a smaller number of students failed" means fewer students failed in absolute terms.

Can I use "a lower proportion of" when talking about trends over time?

Yes, you can use it to describe trends, for example, "There's "a lower proportion of" smokers today than a decade ago". Consider using phrases like "a declining rate of" or "a downward trend in" for more specific emphasis.