fifty percent of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "fifty percent of" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to a portion or fraction of a whole, typically in contexts involving statistics, surveys, or comparisons. Example: "Fifty percent of the participants reported feeling satisfied with the service provided."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"Fifty percent of our customers are female.

The New York Times

"Fifty percent of the Brotherhood are women".

The New York Times

(Fifty percent of them are truant).

The New York Times - Magazine

Fifty percent of our traffic comes from mobile today.

The New York Times

Fifty percent of them even ski, Mr. Ryan said.

The New York Times - Travel

Fifty percent of TB patients there are HIV positive.

The Guardian - Opinion

Mr. Felder: "Fifty percent of people get divorced".

The New York Times

"Fifty percent of my interactive plan is targeted to men".

The New York Times

"Fifty percent of our business right now is prom.

The New York Times

"Fifty percent of what's seen is Adam's," he said.

The New York Times - Arts

"Fifty percent of the people said: 'I loved it.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In formal writing, ensure that the noun following "fifty percent of" agrees in number. For example, "fifty percent of the students are" (plural) versus "fifty percent of the budget is" (singular).

Common error

Avoid using a singular verb with a plural noun after "fifty percent of". For example, instead of "fifty percent of the employees is happy", use "fifty percent of the employees are happy".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "fifty percent of" functions as a determiner or quantifier, specifying a proportion or amount. Ludwig's examples showcase its use in modifying nouns to indicate that half of something is being referred to.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

59%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "fifty percent of" is a grammatically correct and frequently used expression to denote half of a quantity. Ludwig AI confirms its validity and widespread usage across diverse domains, including news, science, and general discourse. While alternatives like "half of" and "50% of" exist, the choice depends on the desired level of formality and context. Remember to ensure correct number agreement with the noun following the phrase. Overall, "fifty percent of" is a versatile and reliable expression for conveying proportional information.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

half of

Uses a simpler term to indicate the same proportion.

50% of

Replaces the words with the percentage symbol.

one half of

Uses the fraction in word form, emphasizing the part-whole relationship.

a moiety of

Employs a more formal or technical term for "half".

fifty per centum of

Uses a more formal phrasing of "percent".

in half of

Focuses on the action of dividing into two equal parts.

around half of

Indicates an approximation close to 50%.

approximately half of

Indicates an approximation close to 50%.

close to half of

Suggests the proportion is near but not exactly 50%.

a large fraction of

Indicates a considerable portion without specifying the exact percentage.

FAQs

How do I use "fifty percent of" in a sentence?

Use "fifty percent of" followed by a noun to indicate that half of something is being referred to. For example, "Fifty percent of the students passed the exam".

What are some alternatives to saying "fifty percent of"?

You can use alternatives like "half of", "50% of", or "one half of" depending on the context.

Which is correct: "fifty percent of the students is" or "fifty percent of the students are"?

"Fifty percent of the students are" is correct. When using "fifty percent of" with a plural noun, use a plural verb. You should use is when the noun is singular, example: "fifty percent of the pie is gone".

Is there a difference between "fifty percent of" and "50% of"?

No, there isn't a significant difference. "Fifty percent of" is written out in words, while "50% of" uses the percentage symbol. Both mean the same thing and are generally interchangeable, though using the symbol is more common in technical or statistical contexts.