half the extent

USAGE SUMMARY

"half the extent" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It means to a great degree or to a certain extent. It is typically used to express the idea of something being only partially true or partially complete. Example: "I only understood half the extent of the problem until my teacher explained it to me." This means that the speaker did not fully understand the problem until the teacher explained it. Another example: "I only realized half the extent of her talent when I saw her perform live." This means that the speaker did not fully realize how talented the person was until they saw them perform live.

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

A volume of matter divided into two equal halves produces two volumes, each having half the extent of the original one.

SEP

Amplitude is the measure of one half the extent of rhythmic change in a cycle estimated by the function used to approximate the rhythm.

BMC Cancer

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Indeed, energetic analysis via MM/PBSA suggests that Mu is bound to approximately half of the extent of lactose and makes weaker van der Waals contacts with the protein.

Biochemistry

At the start of 2004, the Great Red Spot had approximately half the longitudinal extent it had a century ago, when it was 40,000 km in diameter.

Wikipedia

Without his inspiration Germany went off the boil a little in the second part of the first half, even to the extent of allowing Juraj Kucka a headed chance that Manuel Neuer had to be at his acrobatic best to keep out, though the situation was redeemed when Gómez scored his second goal in two games a couple of minutes before the break.

The Guardian - Sport

Lopez's conversion and a penalty put the hosts 10-0 andalthoughaltHodgsonodgson, who came on early for England fly-half Farrell - the extent of whose injury is not yet known - cut the gap to four points early in the second half, Saracens never looked like winning.

BBC

With United barely venturing out of their own half, City relaxed to the extent of making a few trick passes as the hour came up, although what they really needed was another goal.

The Guardian - Sport

The footage – filmed on a cellphone during the battle, which lasted more than half a day – reveals the extent to which the US military is once again engaged in intense combat in Iraq.

The Guardian

This is done at the sacrifice of material, often to the extent of half the stone or more, but the value of the gem is greatly increased.

Encyclopedia Britannica

A Guardian investigation in May, which focused on Russell Group universities, found fewer than half of them were monitoring the extent of sexual violence against students, while one in six said they did not have specific guidelines on how students could report allegations to the institution or to police.

The Guardian

For those with probable MOH, impact was much higher, to the extent that half (44.7% of males, 53.7% of females) reported the loss of >20 d.

The Journal of Headache and Pain

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "half the extent" when you want to emphasize that something is only partially true or has a limited reach, and that a full understanding or realization is still lacking.

Common error

Avoid using "half the extent" when you need to describe something that is completely missing or entirely absent; this phrase implies a partial existence, not a total absence.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "half the extent" functions as an adverbial phrase modifying a verb, adjective, or another adverb. It indicates the degree or scope to which something is true or applies. As Ludwig AI states, it typically expresses the idea of something being only partially true or complete.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

34%

Science

33%

Wiki

16%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Encyclopedias

7%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "half the extent" is a grammatically correct and understandable phrase that is used to indicate something is only partially true, realized, or understood. Ludwig AI confirms this, explaining that the phrase indicates a limited degree or scope. While examples of the phrase are not overly abundant, it is used across various contexts, including news, scientific publications, and general reference materials. When writing, it is helpful to remember that this phrase is meant to communicate partiality, so it should not be used when conveying a total absence or a complete picture.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

to a limited degree

Highlights the restriction or constraint on the scope or impact.

to a small extent

Highlights that the effect or scope is minimal.

to some degree

Focuses on the degree or level of something being true or applicable.

to a certain degree

Implies a level of uncertainty or unspecified limit to the scope.

in part

Emphasizes the partial nature of something, suggesting it's not the whole.

partially

Directly indicates that something is not fully or completely done.

up to a point

Suggests that something is true or valid only to a specific limit.

somewhat

A simple and direct way to express a partial or limited quality.

in some measure

Indicates that something is true to a certain, though perhaps unquantifiable, extent.

to a considerable extent

Suggests the effect or scope is substantial, but not necessarily complete.

FAQs

How can I use "half the extent" in a sentence?

You can use "half the extent" to indicate a partial degree or limited scope. For example, "I only understood "half the extent" of the damage".

What are some alternatives to "half the extent"?

Alternatives include phrases like "to some degree", "partially", or "to a limited degree", depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "half of the extent" instead of "half the extent"?

Both phrases are grammatically correct and convey a similar meaning, though "half the extent" is slightly more concise.

What's the difference between "half the extent" and "the full extent"?

"Half the extent" implies a partial understanding or realization, whereas "the full extent" suggests a complete and thorough understanding or realization.