a proportion of about

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a proportion of about" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing statistical data or estimates to indicate an approximate fraction or percentage of a whole. Example: "In the survey, a proportion of about 60% of respondents indicated that they preferred online shopping."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

20 human-written examples

Sushi, at its most basic, consists of a finger of rice draped with a slice of raw fish, ideally in a proportion of about 4 to 1, according to Nobu Ishida, whose Apollo Fish Company, in Maspeth, N.Y., supplies top sushi chefs in New York at Nobu, Masa and Sushi Yasuda.

The New York Times - Food

By adopting this solution, the geothermal station covers in a proportion of about 72%% the thermal energy required by the district heating system.

International Journal of Energy and Environmental Engineering

IN Take good oil and vinegar or lemon juice, and combine them with salt, pepper, maybe a little Dijon, in a proportion of about three parts oil to one of vinegar.

The New York Times - Food

The younger component appears to be younger than 60 years and has a proportion of about 30%to40%0%.

Geothermal Energy

A proportion of about one quarter of breast cancer cases can be linked to largely modifiable such as lifestyle and environmental factors [10].

Health Economics Review

It has a proportion of about 5.5% in O D pair (154, 149), and the remaining flows are more evenly distributed in the vicinity of 100 units.

Journal of Modern Transportation

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

40 human-written examples

Government tax revenues as a proportion of GDP are about 10%, among the lowest in the world.

The Economist

This, together with a proportion of sporadic variation of about 0.5%, reflects a high degree of exchange activity.

BMC Genomics

In all the studies, a proportion of people, about 10 percent, had at least one measurement of heart disease risk that went in the wrong direction.

The New York Times

Again a proportion of cells (about 20%) are not costained by Pit-1, ACTH, or SOX9.

Cell Stem Cell

The SGoF's FDR plot (Figure 2C) indicated that this maximum detection led to a false discovery proportion of about 35%.

Plosone

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a proportion of about", ensure the context clearly defines the whole to which the proportion refers. This improves clarity and avoids ambiguity for the reader.

Common error

Avoid using "a proportion of about" when referring to a specific quantity rather than a fraction of a whole. Instead, use phrases like "approximately" or "around" for absolute numbers.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a proportion of about" functions as a prepositional phrase that introduces an approximate quantity or percentage. It modifies a noun, specifying an estimated amount relative to a whole, as confirmed by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

25%

Wiki

25%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a proportion of about" serves as a flexible way to denote an approximate fraction or percentage. As confirmed by Ludwig, it's grammatically correct and can be employed in various contexts, including science, news, and general discussions. While not exceedingly common, its consistent usage in reputable sources and appropriate contexts makes it a valuable tool for expressing approximate quantities. When employing this phrase, ensure that the context clearly identifies the whole, thus preventing ambiguity. Also, be sure that its usage implies an approximate fraction of something rather than a fixed amount.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

approximately a percentage of

Replaces "proportion" with "percentage" and uses "approximately" for a similar degree of precision.

roughly a fraction of

Substitutes "proportion" with "fraction" and "about" with "roughly", maintaining a similar informal tone.

an estimated fraction of

Replaces "proportion" with "fraction" and "about" with "estimated", indicating a calculated approximation.

a share of approximately

Uses "share" instead of "proportion", implying a part of a whole with an approximate value.

in the neighborhood of

Replaces "a proportion of about" with an idiomatic expression indicating an approximate quantity or amount.

something like a ratio of

Uses "ratio" to express a relative quantity with an approximate comparison.

in the vicinity of a percentage of

Expresses an approximate percentage using the phrase "in the vicinity of".

on the order of a portion of

Replaces "proportion" with "portion" and uses the phrase "on the order of" to indicate an approximate magnitude.

close to a figure of

Indicates that a value is near a certain numerical value, using "close to".

nearly a rate of

Uses "rate" to express a quantity per unit and emphasizes nearness with "nearly".

FAQs

How can I rephrase "a proportion of about" in a sentence?

You can use alternatives like "approximately a percentage of", "roughly a fraction of", or "an estimated fraction of depending on the context".

Is it better to use "a proportion of about" or "approximately"?

"A proportion of about" is best when referring to a fraction of a whole. "Approximately" is better for general estimations of quantities.

What does "a proportion of about" imply?

It implies an estimated or approximate fraction or percentage of a total amount, indicating that the exact value may not be known or is not critical.

How do you express uncertainty with "a proportion of about"?

You can add qualifiers like "roughly", "approximately", or "in the neighborhood of" to further emphasize the estimation: "roughly "a proportion of about"".