almost half a percent

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "almost half a percent" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing statistical data, financial figures, or any context where a precise measurement is being approximated. Example: "The interest rate increased by almost half a percent over the last quarter."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Shares in Ventana closed at $82.18 yesterday, up almost half a percent.

The New York Times

"You can see the S&P has gone up almost half a percent just in the last half an hour since it hit the high," Rueckert said shortly before trading ended.

Forbes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

On Saturday, sales were up about half a percent, or $8.75 billion, compared with a year ago.

The New York Times

You guessed it: incomes shrank by nearly half a percent.

The New York Times

The FTSE 100 is higher by nearly half a percent.

Forbes

That's a downward revision of about half a percent overall.

Vice

That has lasted almost half a century.

Independent

"Almost half a billion dollars".

The New York Times - Sports

Almost half a million people are displaced.

Unicef

According to a Pew survey, almost half (42 percent) of Americans know an online dater, while slightly more than a quarter (29percentt) know someone who found a spouse or formed a long-term relationship through online dating.

Huffington Post

And almost half (44 percent) say they have rejected a project that made good financial sense because the reputational risk was too great.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When reporting percentage changes, especially small ones like "almost half a percent", provide context to emphasize its significance. For example, compare it to previous changes or explain its impact on a larger system.

Common error

Avoid presenting "almost half a percent" as a major turning point without sufficient evidence. Ensure the audience understands the true impact of such a small percentage in the given context.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "almost half a percent" functions as a quantifier, specifically describing a percentage that is slightly less than 0.5%. This is confirmed by Ludwig, which shows its common use in contexts involving numerical data.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

55%

Formal & Business

25%

Science

20%

Less common in

Reference

0%

Social Media

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "almost half a percent" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase that functions as a quantifier, describing a percentage slightly below 0.5%. Ludwig AI confirms its usage in various contexts, primarily news, business, and science, where it serves to provide a relatively precise but approximate measure. Although the phrase is relatively common, remember to provide enough context for the reader to understand the true impact.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

nearly 0.5 percent

Expresses the quantity as a decimal fraction instead of a fraction.

approximately 0.5%

Uses 'approximately' for a slightly less precise estimate.

close to half a percent

Emphasizes the proximity to half a percent.

just under 0.5 percent

Highlights that the value is slightly less than half a percent.

roughly half a percent

Replaces 'almost' with 'roughly', indicating an approximation.

in the vicinity of 0.5 percent

More formal way of indicating an approximate value.

a little under half a percent

Adds a slightly more descriptive element to the approximation.

not quite half a percent

Indicates a value that is slightly below half a percent.

fractionally below 0.5 percent

Emphasizes that the value is only slightly below half a percent.

a small fraction of a percent

Uses a more general term to indicate a small percentage change.

FAQs

How can I use "almost half a percent" in a sentence?

You might say, "The unemployment rate decreased by "almost half a percent" this quarter", indicating a slight decrease.

What phrases are similar to "almost half a percent"?

Alternatives include "nearly 0.5 percent", "approximately 0.5%", or "close to half a percent", all indicating a quantity just below 0.5%.

Is it better to use decimals or fractions when writing "almost half a percent"?

Both decimals (0.5%) and fractions (half a percent) are acceptable. The choice depends on the level of precision needed and the target audience. For technical contexts, decimals might be preferred.

When is it appropriate to use "almost half a percent" in formal writing?

It is appropriate in any formal context where you need to express a quantity that is slightly less than 0.5%, such as in business reports, economic analyses, or scientific papers. Maintain consistency and context to ensure comprehension.