about a half of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "about a half of" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use this phrase when you want to express that a number or amount is approximately half of something else. For example: "About a half of the students in my class are from out of state."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Take one of your eyes, and sew it a about a half of the way unto the hood.

WikiHow

At this point, flip about a half of an inch over on the top of the front and back and pin those in place.

WikiHow

Britain provides just over 5 percent, or about a half of Japan's contribution.

The New York Times

And net exports subtracted about a half of a percentage point from GDP growth.

The Economist

The paper finds that intra-plant diffusion accounts for about a half of the industry productivity growth.

Research Policy

It is found that the electron temperature is about a half of the mean temperature at radii ∼ 1 Mpc.

Advances in Space Research

The Standard & Poor's 500-stock index lost 4.75 points, or about a half of 1percentt.

The New York Times

Typically, about a half of the students are non-political science majors with some prior interest in Japan.

University of California, Berkeley

Asylum-seekers accounted for 28% of non-British immigrants in 1999, representing about a half of net migration.

The Economist

Already, about a half of our research collections are located offsite, for both space and preservation reasons.

The New York Times

Fees and interest from rolling over loans generate about a half of the revenues in the £2 billion industry.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "about a half of", ensure the context provides a clear reference for what you're approximating. For example, "About a half of the budget was allocated to marketing."

Common error

Avoid using "about a half of" with singular countable nouns. It is more appropriate to say "about half of the students" (plural) rather than "about a half of the student".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "about a half of" functions as a quantifier, modifying a noun to indicate an approximate amount or proportion. It specifies that something is near to one half of a whole. Ludwig provides numerous examples demonstrating this usage.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

35%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Wiki

10%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "about a half of" is a common and grammatically sound way to express that a quantity is approximately equal to one half of something. As Ludwig AI points out, it's perfectly acceptable for use in writing. Its versatility is highlighted by its occurrence across various domains including science, news media, academia, and general wiki content. While "about a half of" is appropriate in many contexts, it's essential to ensure clarity and avoid misuse with singular countable nouns. Consider using alternatives like "approximately half of" or "nearly half of" for slight variations in meaning or tone.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

approximately half of

This alternative directly substitutes "about" with "approximately", maintaining similar precision but slightly more formal.

roughly half of

Replaces "about" with "roughly", indicating an estimation with a casual tone.

nearly half of

Indicates approaching half, but possibly slightly less.

almost half of

Suggests the amount is just short of being half.

around half of

Uses "around" instead of "about", suggesting a less precise approximation.

close to half of

Implies that the quantity is not exactly half but very near to it.

just under half of

More specific, indicating that the amount is slightly below one half.

in the vicinity of half of

More formal and verbose, suggesting a quantity near to one half.

a little less than half of

Expresses a quantity that is somewhat smaller than one half.

something like half of

A casual way of saying the amount is similar to one half but indefinite.

FAQs

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

You can use alternatives like "approximately half of", "roughly half of", or "nearly half of" to express a similar meaning.

Is it grammatically correct to say "about a half of"?

Yes, "about a half of" is grammatically correct and commonly used to indicate an approximate quantity or amount that is close to one half of something. Ludwig AI confirms that the phrase is correct and usable in written English.

What's the difference between "about a half of" and "exactly half of"?

"About a half of" implies an approximation, while "exactly half of" indicates a precise division into two equal parts. The former is less strict and allows for slight variations.

In what contexts is it appropriate to use "about a half of"?

It's appropriate to use "about a half of" in contexts where an exact number isn't necessary or known, such as when discussing statistics, estimates, or general proportions. It is frequently used in science, news, academic writing and general conversation.