approx half of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "approx half of" is not standard in written English; it should be "approximately half of." You can use it when you want to express an estimation of half of a quantity or group.
Example: "The survey indicated that approx half of the participants preferred option A."

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

16 strains showed a 2-DG phenotype, among these approx half of the strains for which respiration was essential, indicating that the primary energy metabolism was often affected in these mutants.

Aging

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Currently, approx. half of them are still operating with vegetable oils (mainly rape seed oil and palm oil).

Energy, Sustainability and Society

Approx. half of the tumors with ETV1 overexpression express a fusion transcript, the others show a high level of full-length ETV1 expression.

Plosone

Immunohistochemistry (IHC) showed that approx. half of vehicle-treated RIF-1 tumour cells were positive for the nuclear antigen Ki67.

BMC Cancer

According to miRNApath analysis of calcium signalling pathway, approx. half of differentially expressed miRNAs are related to SERCA2 but not to its regulatory proteins.

BMC Genomics

Here, proteomics analysis showed that approx. half of the fungal proteins whose corresponding transcripts were not identified in the previous RNA-seq-based transcriptome dataset [ 4].

BMC Genomics

The cells were cultured at 37°C in 5% CO2 incubators and fed every 2 days by removing approx. half of the medium and replenishing with fresh medium.

ASN Neuro

The study was designed as an uncontrolled study in a primary health care unit with six GPs providing health services to approx. half of the 20,000 population of a town in Denmark.

BMC Family Practice

The analysis of cellular location of protein identifications in the present study shows that approx. half of the differentially expressed plant proteins and fungal proteins from the AWF do not contain signal peptides.

BMC Genomics

Samples preserved in RNA Later (approx. half of the sample) including 37 tumoral and 27 normal glands, homogenized in Trizol Reagent (Invitrogen, Carlsbad CA) and total RNA isolation was completed following the manufacturer's protocol.

BMC Veterinary Research

In rough terms approx. one half of that was Norway spruce (Picea abies) and the other half was Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris).

BMC Biotechnology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

For formal writing, replace "approx half of" with "approximately half of" to ensure grammatical correctness and clarity.

Common error

Avoid mixing abbreviated and full forms in the same text. If you start with "approx", maintain consistency, but it's better to use "approximately" for a formal tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "approx half of" functions as a quantifier, indicating an estimated proportion. Ludwig's examples illustrate its use in describing quantities or proportions that are close to 50%.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

64%

News & Media

24%

Wiki

12%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "approx half of" serves as a quantifier used to denote an estimated proportion close to 50%. While understandable, Ludwig AI indicates that it is grammatically more correct and stylistically preferable to use "approximately half of", particularly in formal writing. The phrase appears in diverse contexts, including scientific articles, news media, and general content. To enhance clarity and maintain formality, especially in academic or professional settings, opting for the full form "approximately" is advisable. Although it's common in certain contexts, writers should be mindful of the level of formality required by their audience.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

approximately half of

Adds formality and precision by using the full word "approximately".

about half of

Simplifies the phrase to a more conversational tone using "about".

roughly half of

Indicates an estimation using "roughly", suggesting less precision.

close to half of

Emphasizes the proximity to the halfway point.

nearly half of

Highlights that the quantity is just below the halfway mark.

around half of

Offers a more casual and less precise estimation.

half of

Removes "approx" for directness, assuming the context implies approximation.

in the vicinity of half of

Provides a broader, less specific estimation.

something like half of

Uses a colloquial expression to convey approximation.

a little less than half of

Indicates a quantity slightly smaller than half.

FAQs

What is the correct way to write "approx half of"?

The more grammatically correct way to write this phrase is "approximately half of". While "approx" is a common abbreviation, using the full word "approximately" adds clarity and formality.

What can I say instead of "approx half of"?

You can use alternatives like "about half of", "roughly half of", or "nearly half of depending on the context".

Is it acceptable to use "approx" in formal writing?

No, it is generally not acceptable to use "approx" in formal writing. It is best to use the full word "approximately" to maintain a professional tone.

How precise is the term "approx half of"?

The term "approx half of" indicates an estimation and is not precise. For more precise measurements, it's better to use percentages or exact fractions.