a wide proportion of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a wide proportion of" is not commonly used in written English and may sound awkward.
It can be used when discussing a significant part or share of a whole, but it is better to use more standard expressions. Example: "A wide proportion of the population supports the new policy."

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

L'Equipe reported that the scientific advisor to the French Agency Against Doping (AFLD), Professor Xavier Bigard, said in interviews with athletes at last year's European Games in Baku that a wide proportion of athletes admitted taking meldonium.

The Guardian - Sport

The vaccine may thus be a source of cognate help for HIV-specific CD8+ T cells elicited by conventional immunogens, in a wide proportion of vaccinees.

Plosone

Despite the fast moving human genome discoveries in a wide proportion of diseases having large public health impact, however, the promise of personalized healthcare has far lagged behind due the complexity involved [ 1].

BioMed Research International

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

As a wider proportion of the populace obtained a secondary education in the later 19th century, geometry courses departed from slavish dependence on Euclid, despite strong opposition from traditionalists like Lewis Carroll, the Oxford don who wrote Alice in Wonderland.

Britannica

This approach contrasts with the current method of using genome annotation to guide assay design, allowing a far greater number of assays to be designed over a wider proportion of the genome.

Bioinformatics

Round hand has a relatively wide proportion of width to height in its small letters, and they are joined by steeply angled (40 45 degree) hairlines.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Between the years 2000 and 2050, the world wide proportion of persons over 65 years of age is expected to more than double, from the current 6.9%to16.4%4% [ 6].

BMC Psychiatry

b Average values except for the measure for expression divergence (Expr-Div), where the value provided should be considered the genome wide proportion of differentially expressed genes.

BMC Genomics

It's a canny concept, which has you playing around with a far wider proportion of the game's armoury than most of its peers, which forces you to treat the vast majority of loot as junk.

The Guardian - Tech

Similarly, expected values for the number of sex-biased genes on each chromosome were calculated as the product of the number of genes on a chromosome and the genome-wide proportion of genes that were significantly sex biased at FDR ≤ 0.01.

Genome Biology and Evolution

Expected values for the number of female- or male-biased genes on each chromosome were calculated as the product of the number of genes on a chromosome and the genome-wide proportion of female- or male-biased genes at FDR ≤ 0.01.

Genome Biology and Evolution

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

While grammatically correct, consider using more common alternatives like "a significant portion of" or "a large percentage of" for clarity and impact. Be sure that your sentences sound fluent and professional.

Common error

Avoid using "a wide proportion of" excessively in formal writing. Overusing uncommon phrases can make your writing seem stilted or unnatural. If you want to sound more formal, rely on similar structures but using more formal words.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a wide proportion of" functions as a determiner phrase, specifically quantifying a noun. It indicates that a significant part of a whole possesses a certain attribute or is involved in a particular action. Ludwig AI suggests that it's not a commonly used phrase, therefore it may sound awkward.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

66%

News & Media

22%

Encyclopedias

11%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a wide proportion of" is used to indicate a significant segment or share of a whole. However, Ludwig AI suggests it may sound awkward and isn't a commonly used expression. While grammatically correct, it's advisable to opt for more conventional alternatives such as "a significant portion of" or "a large percentage of" for improved clarity and impact. Its register is generally neutral to formal, appearing in scientific, news, and encyclopedic contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a significant portion of

Emphasizes the importance or size of the share.

a large percentage of

Focuses on the numerical aspect of the share.

a considerable fraction of

Highlights that the part is noteworthy.

a substantial segment of

Implies a clearly defined and impactful component.

a notable amount of

Emphasizes quantity of the share.

a good deal of

Indicates a reasonable amount or share.

a fair number of

Suggests a moderate quantity.

a sizable chunk of

Highlights that the component represents a bulky part.

a major share of

Highlights that the component represents an important share.

an appreciable quantity of

Emphasizes that the share is significant.

FAQs

How can I use "a wide proportion of" in a sentence?

You can use "a wide proportion of" to indicate that a significant part of a group or population shares a particular characteristic or opinion. For example, "A wide proportion of the surveyed athletes admitted to using performance-enhancing substances."

What are some alternatives to "a wide proportion of"?

You can use alternatives like "a significant portion of", "a large percentage of", or "a considerable number of" depending on the context.

Is "a wide proportion of" formal or informal?

The phrase "a wide proportion of" can be used in both formal and informal contexts but might sound slightly awkward. Consider your audience and choose alternatives like "a substantial amount of" for a more formal tone.

What is the difference between "a wide proportion of" and "a large proportion of"?

While both phrases indicate a substantial amount, "a large proportion of" is more common and generally preferred. "A wide proportion of" isn't wrong, but it's less frequently used.