about a proportion of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "about a proportion of" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing a specific fraction or percentage of a whole in various contexts, such as statistics or research findings. Example: "The study revealed that about a proportion of the participants preferred option A over option B."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

In other words, the RCF procedure brought about a proportion of diversity for CO2 sensitivity that was ultimately attributable to genetic effects.

Plosone

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

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

The average nonviolent campaign is about 11 times as large (as a proportion of the population) than the average violent campaign.

The Washington Post

"When you think about who consumes as a proportion of their diet the most starch, it generally is the poor, in all countries," Ebi said.

The Washington Post

Putting aside how a customer may feel, how does a CMO or Customer Service Director feel about the fact that a proportion of their customers have to 'game the system' to get what they want.

Forbes

Talking about EU spending as a proportion of gross national income (GNI) doesn't "tell the whole story" because the share compared to government spending is often higher, he says.

BBC

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

Another promising analytical tool, AsCNAR, is able to identify LOH even when one of two mixed cell lines is present only in a proportion of about 20% [12].

Plosone

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

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

Common error

Avoid using "about a proportion of" without clearly stating what the proportion relates to. For example, instead of saying "About a proportion of students failed", specify: "About a proportion of students in the class failed."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "about a proportion of" functions as a prepositional phrase, modifying a noun or noun phrase to indicate an approximate quantity or share of a whole. Ludwig confirms its correct usage.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

38%

News & Media

38%

Formal & Business

24%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "about a proportion of" serves to indicate an estimated fraction or share, frequently used in scientific, news, and business contexts. While grammatically sound, its usage is relatively rare. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is considered correct and functions as a prepositional phrase that modifies other nouns or noun phrases. For greater precision, consider alternatives such as "approximately a fraction of" or "roughly a percentage of". Remember to always define the 'whole' to which the proportion refers to avoid ambiguity. Top sources include The Guardian and The New York Times.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

approximately a fraction of

Replaces "proportion" with "fraction" and uses "approximately" for a similar meaning to "about".

roughly a percentage of

Substitutes "proportion" with "percentage" and "about" with "roughly", focusing on a statistical measure.

a certain share of

Uses "share" to denote a part of a whole, omitting "about" for a slightly more precise tone.

a given amount of

Replaces "proportion" with "amount", suitable when referring to non-countable quantities.

a specific quantity of

Emphasizes specificity, replacing "proportion" with "quantity" for clarity.

a particular segment of

Focuses on a section or division of a whole, using "segment" instead of "proportion".

a notable quantity within

Highlights the significance of the amount, altering the emphasis from a simple proportion.

a considerable portion of

Replaces "proportion" with "portion" and emphasizes the size of the share with "considerable".

an estimated segment within

Combines approximation with a section of a whole, using "estimated" and "segment".

in the neighborhood of a segment

Informal phrasing, indicating an approximation of a part, using "in the neighborhood of".

FAQs

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

Use "about a proportion of" to indicate an approximate fraction or percentage. For example, "About a proportion of the surveyed population reported satisfaction."

What's a more formal alternative to "about a proportion of"?

For a more formal tone, consider using phrases like "approximately a fraction of" or "roughly a percentage of".

Is it better to use "proportion" or "percentage" in the phrase?

Both "proportion" and "percentage" can be used, but "percentage" is generally more specific and suitable when dealing with statistical data. "Proportion" is broader and can apply to less precise quantities.

How does "about a proportion of" differ from "a majority of"?

"About a proportion of" indicates an approximate quantity, which can be any fraction. "A majority of", on the other hand, specifically means more than half.