around half of them

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "around half of them" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when you want to indicate an approximate quantity or proportion of a group. Example: "In the survey, around half of them reported feeling satisfied with their jobs."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

23 human-written examples

But in evidence to the Commons Energy and Climate Change committee Mr Henney said that they would cost around £600m to introduce nationwide, and predicted that "around half" of them would never be used.

BBC

The programs do have some differences though — for one, schools on iTunes U can restrict the ability of their content to students (around half of them have share their content publicly), whereas YouTube videos are generally available to everyone.

TechCrunch

The original calculation was carried out for a minimum of 40 participating centres and 1,200 patients recruited (around half of them in each group).

Health and Quality of Life Outcomes

Around half of them are in the red.

The Economist

Around half of them took powerful antipsychotic medications at bedtime to help them sleep, officials said.

The New York Times

Around half of them, including several admirals and generals, were charged.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

37 human-written examples

There are around 30 courses, half of them tweaked versions of classics, half newcomers.

The Guardian - Tech

Indeed, the Olympic Village was transformed into the East Village, a new community with around 3000 flats, half of them of affordable and social housing, while three universities and other cultural institutions have plans to open new branches in Stratford.

City, Territory and Architecture

Overall Gaza deaths stand at around 50, half of them non-combatants.

The Economist

Around one half of them have been taken into the care because of a history of trauma, neglect or abuse.

Independent

Of the 17,000 American troops set to be deployed, around one half of them are to be sent to Helmand.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "around half of them", ensure that the context provides a clear reference for 'them'. Clarity is crucial for avoiding ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "around half of them" when the group being referred to is unclear or ambiguous. Always ensure the pronoun has a clear antecedent.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "around half of them" functions as a quantifying phrase, specifying an approximate proportion of a previously mentioned group. Ludwig confirms its usability in diverse contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Science

15%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "around half of them" is a commonly used phrase to express an approximate quantity or proportion. Ludwig confirms its correctness and usability across diverse contexts, primarily within news, media, and scientific fields. While grammatically sound and widely accepted, it's crucial to ensure that the reference to 'them' is clear to avoid ambiguity. For more formal settings, alternatives like "approximately half of them" may be preferred. The expert analysis suggests that the phrase is well-supported by authoritative sources and demonstrates consistent usage, making it a reliable choice for expressing estimations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

approximately half of them

Replaces "around" with "approximately" for a more formal tone.

roughly half of them

Substitutes "around" with "roughly", conveying a similar level of approximation.

about half of them

Uses "about" instead of "around", maintaining a casual and approximate meaning.

nearly half of them

Replaces "around" with "nearly", suggesting a value close to but not quite half.

close to half of them

Similar to "nearly half", but slightly more emphatic about the approximation.

in the vicinity of half of them

A more formal and elaborate way of saying "around half", suitable for academic or technical writing.

something like half of them

Emphasizes the uncertainty or approximation in the quantity.

in the neighborhood of half of them

Similar to "in the vicinity of", but less formal.

half or so of them

Adds "or so" to indicate a flexible and approximate quantity.

a little less than half of them

Specifies that the quantity is slightly below half.

FAQs

How can I use "around half of them" in a sentence?

You can use "around half of them" to indicate an approximate quantity or proportion of a group. For example, "There were 100 attendees, and "around half of them" were new to the conference."

What phrases are similar to "around half of them"?

Similar phrases include "approximately half of them", "roughly half of them", or "nearly half of them".

Is "around half of them" formal or informal?

"Around half of them" is generally considered neutral to slightly informal. For a more formal tone, use "approximately half of them".

Can I use "around half of them" in academic writing?

While acceptable, consider using more precise language in formal academic writing if the exact proportion is known. If an approximation is necessary, "approximately half of them" might be a better choice.