a ratio of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a ratio of" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when comparing two different quantitative values. For example, "The ratio of apples to oranges in this basket is 4 to 1."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

56 human-written examples

It reported a ratio of 16.1.

The New York Times

A ratio of 2.5 sounds awful.

The Economist

Morgan Stanley has a ratio of only 0.48.

The Economist

A ratio of 1.0 would be average.

The New York Times

Now it is using a ratio of four to one.

The New York Times - Sports

Losers outnumbered gainers by a ratio of eight to five.

The New York Times

Mitsui Sumitomo, for example, has a ratio of 7percentt.

The New York Times

Only Ukraine, with a ratio of 8.5, was higher.

The Guardian

That is a ratio of 5.4 to 1.

The New York Times

Vietnam reported a ratio of 110 boys to 100 girls last year.

The New York Times

Suns point guard STEVE NASH, the league leader in assists, has a ratio of 3.31.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a ratio of", ensure that the context clearly defines what two quantities are being compared. This enhances clarity and prevents misinterpretations.

Common error

Avoid assuming a causal relationship simply because there's "a ratio of" correlation. Correlation does not equal causation; further analysis may be needed to establish a causal link.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a ratio of" functions as a prepositional phrase that introduces a comparison between two quantities. As Ludwig AI shows, this comparison is typically expressed numerically, indicating the relative size or proportion of one value to another. It modifies nouns by providing quantitative context.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

57%

Science

27%

Formal & Business

6%

Less common in

Wiki

2%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a ratio of" is a versatile and grammatically sound way to express a quantitative comparison between two entities. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is widely used and considered correct in English. Its prevalence in diverse fields, including news reporting, science, and business, highlights its broad applicability. When using "a ratio of", ensure clarity in defining the compared quantities to prevent misinterpretations. While this phrase is valuable for objective reporting, be cautious about implying causation solely based on correlation. Alternatives like ""a proportion of"" or ""a rate of"" can provide similar meaning depending on context. The high frequency and authoritative usage of "a ratio of" makes it a valuable tool for precise communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a proportion of

Replaces "ratio" with "proportion", emphasizing the relative size of one quantity to another.

a rate of

Substitutes "ratio" with "rate", focusing on how frequently something occurs relative to something else.

a fraction of

Replaces "ratio" with "fraction", highlighting the part-to-whole relationship.

a percentage of

Expresses the ratio as a percentage, making it easier to understand and compare.

a measure of

Replaces "ratio" with "measure", broadening the concept to any quantitative assessment.

an index of

Substitutes "ratio" with "index", often used for composite measures or indicators.

a comparison of

Focuses on the act of comparing two quantities rather than the resulting ratio.

a relative amount of

More explicitly describes the concept of a ratio as a relative quantity.

the correlation between

Highlights the statistical relationship, showing how much they depend on each other.

the division between

Emphasizes the act of dividing one quantity by another to find a ratio.

FAQs

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

Use "a ratio of" to compare two quantities. For instance, "The study found "a ratio of" 3:1 between male and female participants".

What are some alternatives to saying "a ratio of"?

Alternatives include "a proportion of", "a rate of", or "a fraction of", depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "the ratio is of" instead of "a ratio of"?

While "a ratio of" is more common for introducing a ratio, "the ratio is" can be used when referring to a previously mentioned or understood ratio. For example, "We calculated the ratio earlier; the ratio is 2:1".

What's the difference between "a ratio of" and "a percentage of"?

"A ratio of" compares two quantities directly, while "a percentage of" expresses one quantity as a portion of another, scaled to 100. For instance, ""a ratio of" 1:2" indicates one part for every two, while "50%" indicates half of the total.