a more than half

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a more than half" is not correct in standard written English.
It should be rephrased to convey the intended meaning clearly, typically in contexts discussing quantities or proportions. Example: "The survey results showed that a more than half of the participants preferred option A."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

A: More than half of all emails are sent from a mobile client.

TechCrunch

Last Monday, White House officials sat down with a more than half a dozen top bankers and financiers, including Gary D. Cohn, president of Goldman Sachs, and Greg Fleming, head of wealth management at Morgan Stanley.

The New York Times

Moreover, since the Ser14450fsX4 mutation leads to a truncated titin protein missing a more than half of the A-band and the entire M-band, and thereby lacking a strong connection with the thick filaments and many important protein protein interactions, several other structural and signaling effects are expected to play a major role in the disease phenotype.

EMBO Molecular Medicine

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

It pulls in more than half a million visitors annually.

The Guardian

It was 1961 when then-President Dwight Eisenhower closed the US embassy in Havana, launching a more than half-century of frozen relations between the US and Cuba.

Independent

After the exhibition game, Bossy, who lives in Montreal, where he recently opened a restaurant called Mike Bossy's, said it was no fun to see a more than half-empty Coliseum when highlights are shown on television.

The New York Times - Sports

Murdoch's astonishing bid of $5 billion, or $60 a share, represented a nearly 70 percent premium over the market price — and a more than half-billion-dollar windfall for the ruling family, which controlled 64 percent of the company through its ­supervoting class of stock.

The New York Times - Books

Moving pleased Chauncey, who found himself upgraded to a more than half-acre yard in Algiers' understated Behrman neighborhood, near writer William Burroughs's old house – an area considered boring by some, though to us it felt like moving back to New Orleans after years living in Austin.

The Guardian

Colonial in Douglaston $2,800,000 QUEENS2222 Cherry Street A seven-bedroom house built in 1914, now part of a historic landmark district, with three baths, two half-baths, three fireplaces, two staircases and a two-car garage on a more than half-acre lot.

The New York Times

To this respect a general relation between the chemical reactivity, the d-band center and thus the coordination number of surface atoms, has been established [8 10]: the lower the coordination number of TM surface atoms, the smaller the local bandwidth and the higher the d-band centre position relative to the Fermi level for metals like Rh with a more than half-filled d band.

Nanoscale Research Letters

The house, built in 1951, sits on a more than half-acre knoll with panoramic cityscape, canyon and hillside views.

Los Angeles Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When indicating proportions, use "more than half" or "over half" to ensure grammatical correctness and clarity. Avoid the construction "a more than half".

Common error

Avoid using the indefinite article "a" before "more than half". The correct phrasing is "more than half". Using "a" introduces grammatical awkwardness and is not standard English.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a more than half" functions as a quantifier, attempting to indicate a proportion exceeding 50%. However, as Ludwig AI points out, the construction is grammatically incorrect. Correct usage would omit the article "a".

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

37%

Wiki

13%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "a more than half" appears in various sources, it's grammatically incorrect. As indicated by Ludwig AI, the correct and preferred phrasing is "more than half" or "over half". The phrase attempts to quantify a proportion exceeding 50%, but its flawed structure undermines its effectiveness. It is advisable to avoid this construction in formal writing and opt for grammatically sound alternatives. While examples exist across News & Media and Science sources, the grammatical issue significantly impacts its acceptability and expert rating.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

more than half

Omits the unnecessary article "a", making it grammatically correct and more concise.

over half

Uses "over" instead of "more than", offering a simpler and equally common alternative.

greater than half

Replaces "more than" with "greater than", emphasizing the exceeding quantity.

exceeding half

Highlights the action of surpassing half of a quantity or amount.

in excess of half

Emphasizes that the amount is beyond the halfway point, adding a formal tone.

a majority

Indicates a quantity greater than half, focusing on the concept of a dominant portion.

more than 50 percent

States the quantity in percentage terms, offering a precise and unambiguous alternative.

above half

A simpler way to express the concept of exceeding half.

beyond half

Suggests moving past the halfway point, implying further progression.

at least 51 percent

Expresses the smallest amount that is still more than half, providing a minimum threshold.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say "a more than half"?

The correct and commonly accepted way to express "a more than half" is "more than half". This phrasing is grammatically sound and widely understood.

Can I use "over half" instead of "a more than half"?

Yes, "over half" is a perfectly acceptable and often preferred alternative to "a more than half". It's concise and grammatically correct.

What does it mean to say "more than half"?

Saying "more than half" means that a quantity or proportion is greater than 50% of the whole. It indicates a majority or a dominant portion.

Is there a more formal way to say "a more than half"?

For a more formal tone, you could use "greater than half" or "in excess of half", although "more than half" remains suitable in most contexts.