be half of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "be half of" is not correct in English.
Did you mean "on behalf of"? You can use "on behalf of" when you want to express that you are representing someone else in a statement or action. Example: "I am writing this letter on behalf of my colleague who is unable to attend the meeting."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

To be half of a whole?

The New Yorker

It just won't be half of our economy.

The New York Times - Magazine

"This will never be half of our business," he said.

The New York Times

But that may only be half of the story.

The Guardian - Opinion

They take home salaries that can be half of what long-distance drivers make.

University of California, Berkeley

That would be half of all investment in the country, he said.

The Economist

The order also included all private persons "acting on be half" of the Government.

The New York Times

But the really explosive words have proven to be "half of Trump's supporters".

The New Yorker

He used to be half of the comedy act, Struck Off and Die.

The Guardian

He suggested that cash losses will probably be half of the $85 million projected.

The New York Times

Waist size should be half of height or less, the researchers found.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming for clarity and grammatical correctness, replace "be half of" with more precise alternatives like "constitute half of", "account for half of", or "represent half of". These options are grammatically sound and widely accepted.

Common error

Avoid using "be half of" as a direct replacement for verbs like "represent" or "constitute". This phrasing is often considered grammatically incorrect. Instead, opt for clearer and more standard expressions such as "account for half of" or "make up half of".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "be half of" functions as a descriptive element, indicating that a particular entity constitutes fifty percent of a whole. Ludwig examples reveal its common usage across various contexts, despite Ludwig AI flagging it as not entirely correct.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

39%

Science

37%

Academia

14%

Less common in

Wiki

4%

Formal & Business

2%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "be half of" is frequently used to indicate that something constitutes fifty percent of a whole. Despite its common usage, Ludwig AI identifies it as potentially grammatically incorrect, suggesting the use of more precise alternatives such as "constitute half of" or "account for half of". While prevalent in news, scientific, and academic contexts, opting for these alternatives ensures clearer and more grammatically sound communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

constitute half of

Emphasizes the composition or proportion that one thing forms of another.

represent half of

Highlights that something accounts for a specific portion of the whole.

make up half of

Similar to "constitute half of", focusing on the components that form a whole.

account for half of

Indicates that something is responsible for a certain portion.

comprise half of

Another way to express that something is composed of a particular part.

form half of

Stresses the act of creating or shaping a portion of a whole.

equal half of

This is used when you want to specify that two parts are equal and one is half of the total.

be equivalent to half of

Implies that something has the same value or amount as half of something else.

approximate half of

Indicates an estimation where something is close to being half.

nearly half of

Suggests that something is just shy of being exactly half.

FAQs

How can I correctly use the idea of something being half of something else?

Instead of saying "be half of", use phrases like "constitute half of", "represent half of", or "account for half of" to convey the same meaning with better grammatical correctness.

What are some alternatives to the expression "be half of"?

You can use phrases such as "make up half of", "comprise half of", or "form half of" as alternatives to "be half of", which are generally considered more grammatically sound.

Is it grammatically correct to say "be half of"?

While frequently used, the phrase "be half of" is often considered grammatically awkward. Opt for clearer alternatives like "constitute half of" or "account for half of" for better precision.

How does "be half of" compare to "account for half of"?

"Account for half of" is a more grammatically standard way of expressing that something represents 50% of a total amount. "Be half of" can sound less precise and is often better replaced with alternatives like "represent half of" or "comprise half of".