has a low proportion

USAGE SUMMARY

'has a low proportion' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when expressing the idea that something has a relatively small percentage or amount compared to something else. For example, you could say, "This town has a low proportion of ethnic minorities compared to other cities in the area."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

14 human-written examples

France has a low proportion of skilled immigrants.Mr Sarkozy's bill aims to reverse this trend, by introducing selective immigration.

The Economist

There's also not complete agreement about what factors should weighted: if a poll has a low proportion of Democrats, or Republicans, should weighting be used to correct for it?

Harvard Business Review

And it has a low proportion of people with college degrees, 25.4% versus a national average of 27%.Parts of Pennsylvania offer classic rustbelt fare battered by downsizing and fearful of change.

The Economist

Generally, kerogen type III dominantly contains aromatic structures, heteroatomic ketones, and carboxylic acid groups and has a low proportion of aliphatic and alicyclic compounds.

International Journal of Coal Science & Technology

This fact takes more significance when we consider that Tamasheq has a low proportion of Arabic loanwords, and usually few of these with regard to phytonymic and zoonymic terms: items lended/adopted from one population to the other are more likely to have the same etimology, and piebald camels and their zoonym may have been historically adopted by Tamasheq-speaking Tuareg from Arabic populations.

Pastoralism

Windy Nook has a low proportion of lone parent households at some 7.2% of all households.

Wikipedia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

46 human-written examples

Low-solidity HAWTs have a low proportion of material within the swept area, which is compensated by a faster rotation speed used to fill up the swept area.

Encyclopedia Britannica

South Texas cities like San Antonio and Corpus Christi have a low proportion of foreign-born Hispanic residents because that part of the state has been Hispanic for so long, said Steve Murdock, the director of the Hobby Center for the Study of Texas at Rice University.

The New York Times

There was a large difference in landscape structure between existing and candidate protected areas due to the spatial bias of the existing protected areas; these areas were characterized by a high proportion of forest areas and low landscape heterogeneity, while candidate protected areas had a low proportion of forest areas and high landscape heterogeneity.

Journal for Nature Conservation

Universities which have a "low proportion of under-represented students" are being advised to spend about 30% of fees above £6,000.

BBC

The 343-year-old scientific academy, which has never before elected more than four women per year, came under fire from a parliamentary committee in 2002 for having a low proportion of women and ethnic minorities.

Science Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider using synonyms like "small fraction" or "limited share" for variety and to tailor the phrase to the specific context.

Common error

Avoid using "has a low proportion" without specifying the larger group or context to which the proportion relates. Without this information, the statement lacks meaning and impact.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "has a low proportion" functions as a descriptor, indicating that a particular element or attribute constitutes a small fraction of a whole. It's used to denote a relatively small quantity or share, as Ludwig AI confirms. The phrase is grammatically correct and easily understood.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

62%

News & Media

21%

Wiki

12%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Formal & Business

1%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "has a low proportion" is a grammatically correct and useful way to describe something that represents a small fraction of a whole. Ludwig AI confirms its validity in written English. It's most commonly found in scientific and news contexts. While relatively uncommon, its usage is straightforward: ensure you provide the necessary context to make the proportion meaningful. Synonyms like "small fraction" or "limited share" can add variety to your writing. Remember to avoid vagueness by specifying what the proportion relates to, and you'll effectively convey quantitative information. Key sources using the phrase include BMC, The Economist, and The New York Times, demonstrating its use in authoritative publications.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

exhibits a small fraction

Uses "fraction" instead of "proportion", implying a numerical comparison to a whole, and uses the verb "exhibits".

displays a limited share

Replaces "proportion" with "share" and "has" with "displays", both conveying a part of a whole but with slightly different connotations.

demonstrates a reduced amount

Substitutes "proportion" with "amount" and "has" with "demonstrates", focusing on quantifiable measures rather than relative size.

contains a minimal quantity

Emphasizes the small quantity using "minimal" instead of low and introduces "quantity" which is more concrete than proportion.

presents a slight degree

Replaces "proportion" with "degree", indicating a level or extent of something, and "has" with "presents".

reflects a modest level

Uses "level" instead of "proportion", suggesting a measured state, and "reflects" instead of "has", indicating representation.

reveals a scarce presence

Changes "proportion" to "presence", focusing on existence, and uses "scarce" to highlight rarity.

indicates a negligible component

Substitutes "proportion" with "component", emphasizing a part of a whole, and describes it as "negligible", meaning insignificant.

features a restricted incidence

Replaces "proportion" with "incidence", focusing on frequency of occurrence and uses "restricted" for emphasis.

possesses a reduced density

Changes "proportion" to "density", emphasizing concentration or compactness and uses "possesses" instead of "has".

FAQs

How can I rephrase "has a low proportion" to sound more formal?

For a more formal tone, you can use phrases like "exhibits a small fraction", "demonstrates a reduced amount", or "reflects a modest level". These alternatives offer a more sophisticated way to express the idea of a small quantity or representation.

What's the difference between "has a low proportion" and "has a small amount"?

"Has a low proportion" implies a relative quantity compared to a whole, while "has a small amount" refers to an absolute quantity. For example, a solution "has a low proportion" of salt means the salt is a small fraction of the total solution, while "has a small amount" of salt means there's not much salt in total, regardless of the solution's size.

When is it appropriate to use "has a low proportion" in writing?

It is appropriate to use "has a low proportion" when you want to emphasize that something constitutes a small part of a larger whole. This is especially useful in statistical analysis, demographic descriptions, or when comparing compositions.

Are there any contexts where using "has a low proportion" might be misleading?

Using "has a low proportion" can be misleading if the overall amount is very large. For instance, a forest that "has a low proportion" of diseased trees might still have a substantial number of sick trees if the forest is vast. In such cases, providing both the proportion and the absolute number offers a more accurate picture.