almost half a cent

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "almost half a cent" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing small amounts of money, particularly in contexts involving pricing or financial calculations. Example: "The cost of the item was almost half a cent, making it an incredibly affordable option."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

The pound is falling on the news, down almost half a cent at $1.627.

The Guardian - Business

pic.twitter.com/90vTC7lcKN July 8 , 201410.02am BST Here's how the pound reacted, losing almost half a cent against the dollar at one stage.

The Guardian - Business

10.17pm: Sterling has fallen almost half a cent against the dollar since exit poll data came out at 10pm pointing to a hung parliament.

The Guardian - Business

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

(Despite the fact that those polled were kept on the phone for almost half an hour, 80percentt of the people called agreed to participate).

The New York Times

The figures from the 2015 Census Bureau reports, which span poverty, income and health insurance data, revealed that the official US poverty rate had experienced one of its biggest single-year falls in almost half a century, dropping from 14.8%to13.5%5%.

The Guardian

By 1860, almost half a million people, roughly 31% of the total population of Virginia, were enslaved.

Wikipedia

In 2013, the European Union (EU) received almost half a million asylum-seekers - a 32%% increase on numbers from 2012 [ 3].

BMC Health Services Research

In 2013, the European Union (EU) received almost half a million asylum seekers (AS), a 32% increase since 2012.

BMJ Open

Among these children are almost half a million foster children, nearly 40percentt of them under age 6.

Huffington Post

In 2007, about 10 per cent or almost half a million of all children younger than one year in Indonesia were not immunized at all.

Unicef

The length of hospital stay was significantly shorter in the laparoscopy group by almost half a day (95percentnt c.i. − 1·76 to − 0·78 days).

British Journal of Surgery

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing monetary values, specify the currency to avoid ambiguity. For example, "almost half a US cent" or "almost half a British pence".

Common error

Don't use "almost half a cent" when a more substantial amount is intended. This phrase emphasizes a very small value and is inappropriate for larger figures.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "almost half a cent" functions as a modifier, specifically quantifying an extremely small monetary value. It adds precision to discussions about negligible amounts as shown by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

66%

Science

34%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "almost half a cent" is a grammatically correct way to describe a value just below half a cent, as verified by Ludwig. Though rare, it's found in news and science contexts to emphasize extremely low monetary values. When using the phrase, ensure that the currency is clear to avoid ambiguity. Consider alternatives like "nearly half a cent" or "just under half a cent" for similar effect. Avoid this expression if you want to describe a larger value.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

nearly half a cent

Replaces "almost" with "nearly", indicating a close approximation.

just under half a cent

Specifies that the value is slightly less than half a cent.

a fraction under half a cent

Emphasizes the minute difference from half a cent.

scarcely half a cent

Highlights the minimal amount, bordering on not quite reaching half a cent.

barely half a cent

Similar to "scarcely", stressing the narrow margin below half a cent.

close to half a cent

Indicates proximity to half a cent without specifying direction.

approximately half a cent

Offers a rough estimate, suggesting it's near half a cent.

not quite half a cent

Explicitly states the value does not reach half a cent.

something short of half a cent

More descriptive, indicating a small deficiency compared to half a cent.

a shade under half a cent

Uses "shade" to denote a very slight difference below half a cent.

FAQs

When is it appropriate to use "almost half a cent"?

Use "almost half a cent" when you need to specify a cost or value that is slightly less than half of one cent. It's best suited for discussions of extremely small amounts where precision is important.

What are some alternatives to "almost half a cent"?

You can use alternatives like "nearly half a cent", "just under half a cent", or "a fraction under half a cent" to convey a similar meaning.

Is "almost half a cent" a common expression?

The expression "almost half a cent" is not particularly common because it refers to a very small amount. You're more likely to encounter it in specific contexts such as finance or economics when discussing minimal price fluctuations.

What does it imply when something costs "almost half a cent"?

When something costs "almost half a cent", it implies the item is incredibly inexpensive. This phrase is often used to emphasize the negligible cost of something.