a portion of

USAGE SUMMARY

"a portion of" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to a portion or part of something. For example, "I ate a portion of the cake."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

(See a portion of the strip below).

The New Yorker

Describes a portion of the performance.

The New Yorker

Covers a portion of Amsterdam.

Stanford University

Place a portion of fish on potatoes.

The New York Times - Food

Each holds a portion of it.

The New York Times

A portion of the sellout crowd booed.

The Washington Post

A portion of Joby's FAA application.

The Guardian - Tech

A portion of it is, anyway.

MIT Technology Review

Analyzing a portion of the ROC curve.

Nature

A portion of the samples was regenerated.

Catalysis Today

Below is a portion of our conversation.

Stanford University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a portion of" when you want to indicate that you're referring to a part of a whole, without necessarily specifying the exact amount or percentage. For instance, "A portion of the proceeds will be donated to charity."

Common error

Avoid using "a portion of" excessively in your writing. If the specific quantity or percentage is known, use that information instead to provide more clarity and impact. For example, instead of "A portion of the budget was allocated to marketing", use "25% of the budget was allocated to marketing."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a portion of" functions as a determiner phrase followed by a prepositional phrase. It serves to specify that only a part, share, or segment of something is being referred to. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

43%

Academia

20%

Science

18%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Wiki

3%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a portion of" is a versatile phrase used to indicate a part or share of something. It is grammatically correct and commonly found in various contexts, particularly in news, academic, and scientific writing. As highlighted by Ludwig, the phrase is appropriate for general use. When using "a portion of", ensure the context is clear and consider using more specific quantifiers if precision is necessary. Remember to avoid overusing this phrase to maintain clarity in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a part of

Replaces "portion" with "part", implying a less specific amount.

a segment of

Substitutes "portion" with "segment", suggesting a clearly defined section.

a percentage of

Replaces "a portion of" with a quantifier that reflects statistical data.

a fraction of

Emphasizes that the amount is less than the whole.

some of

Replaces "a portion of" with a quantifier that reflects unspecified data.

a share of

Suggests that something is divided among multiple recipients.

an element of

Replaces "portion" with "element", implying more abstract or conceptual part.

a slice of

Suggests "portion" as a fragment separated from the whole.

a piece of

Replaces "portion" with "piece", suggesting a fragment separated from the whole.

a quantity of

Focuses on the amount of something, without specifying what part of it.

FAQs

What does "a portion of" mean?

The phrase "a portion of" refers to a part or a share of something. It indicates that you are not dealing with the whole, but only a section or amount of it.

What can I say instead of "a portion of"?

You can use alternatives like "a part of", "some of", or "a percentage of" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "portions of" instead of "a portion of"?

Yes, it is correct to use "portions of" when you are referring to multiple parts or shares. For example, "Portions of the building were damaged in the fire."

How do I use "a portion of" in a sentence?

Use "a portion of" when you want to specify that you're referring to a section or amount that is less than the whole. For example, "A portion of the sales will go to charity", or "I only ate a portion of the pizza."