a third of them

USAGE SUMMARY

"a third of them" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use this phrase to refer to a fraction of a group or quantity, for example: "A third of the students in my class got over 85% on the exam."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

In 2015, there were about 7,000 cases with almost a third of them positive.

Huffington Post

A third of them have coverage for about six months.

The Guardian

A third of them are being used.

Columbia University

About a third of them are fatal.

The New York Times - Health

A third of them are under 16".

The Guardian

About a third of them cost between $250 and $1,000.

The New York Times - Arts

More than a third of them live with their parents.

The Economist

Almost a third of them buy the results.

The Economist

Q: Over a third of them have died.

The New Yorker

A third of them died in mine shaft collapses.

Independent

About a third of them will be accepted.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

For improved clarity, especially in formal writing, consider replacing "a third of them" with a more precise percentage (approximately 33%) or a similar phrase, especially when exactness is required.

Common error

Avoid using "a third of them" when the group being referred to is unclear or has not been explicitly defined. This can lead to ambiguity and misinterpretation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a third of them" functions as a partitive, indicating a portion of a previously mentioned group. As confirmed by Ludwig, it's grammatically correct and commonly used.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

53%

Academia

17%

Formal & Business

13%

Less common in

Science

15%

Reference

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a third of them" is a grammatically correct and frequently used phrase for expressing that approximately 33% of a group is being referred to. Ludwig confirms its correctness and usability. While it appears in diverse contexts like news, academia, and business, it maintains a neutral tone. For more precise quantification, consider using a percentage, such as "approximately 33% of them". Ensure that the antecedent of "them" is always clear to avoid ambiguity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

approximately 33% of them

Uses a percentage to quantify the fraction, providing a more precise numerical representation.

around one-thrid of them

Replaces "a" with "one" and add around, offering a slightly less formal alternative.

roughly a third of them

Replaces the exact fraction with an approximation, indicating a less precise estimate.

one in three of them

Expresses the proportion as a ratio, changing the structure while maintaining the meaning.

a portion of them

Uses a more generic term for a part of the group, without specifying the exact fraction.

some of them

Offers a vaguer representation, indicating an unspecified quantity.

part of them

Similar to "some", but with a slightly higher emphasis on being a component of the whole.

a considerable number of them

Indicates a significant but unquantified amount, focusing on the size of the subset.

a significant portion of them

Highlights the importance or impact of the fraction, rather than just the quantity.

many of them

Emphasizes the quantity but with a very different meaning (more than a third)

FAQs

How do I use "a third of them" in a sentence?

Use "a third of them" when you want to refer to approximately 33% of a previously mentioned group or set of items. For example, "There were 30 apples, and "a third of them" were rotten."

What can I say instead of "a third of them"?

You can use alternatives like "approximately 33% of them", "around "one-third of them"", or "roughly "a third of them"" depending on the context.

Is it more precise to say "a third of them" or "33% of them"?

While both convey a similar meaning, "33% of them" is generally considered more precise as it provides a specific numerical value. "A third of them" is an approximation.

Can I use "a third of it" instead of "a third of them"?

"A third of it" is used when referring to a singular, uncountable noun, whereas ""a third of them"" is used when referring to a plural noun or a group of items. For example, "a third of the water" versus "a third of the apples".