nearly a half of

USAGE SUMMARY

"nearly a half of" is correct and usable in written English.
For example, "Nearly a half of the participants did not attend the conference."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

33 human-written examples

Nearly a half of us die of cancer (38% of females, 45% of males).

The Guardian

For nearly a half of the mile climb, Animal Kingdom looked like the horse most people thought he was.

The New York Times - Sports

For both zeolites the presence of highly disturbed Si-OH-Al groups (IR band around 3500 cm−1) was discovered, constituting nearly a half of the overall Broensted acidity.

Studies in Surface Science and Catalysis

Nearly two-thirds (26) of boroughs are offering a collection from home service for Christmas trees and nearly a half of boroughs (17) will open special drop off points for a specific period to collect Christmas trees for recycling.

The Guardian

The Council of Mortgage Lenders reckons that nearly a half of new loans in the third quarter of this year were fixed, generally for around two years.Even if rates do rise to 5% by the end of 2004, this will be a long way from the peak of the late 1980s.

The Economist

When the drills were drawn, the manure spread, and the seed laid in, a bean was placed between every two of the sets; and this task performed, he had nearly a half of the pulse remaining, which he distributed among the neighbouring cottagers, with a recommendation to try the same experiment.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

27 human-written examples

There is now nearly a half century of law and case precedent in place.

HuffPost

In October, after a voyage of nearly a half year, one of the twins snapped the first picture.

The New York Times - Science

In doing so, the application of nearly a half-century of technological development that has yet to be used commercially could create many new aerospace engineering business opportunities.

Acta Astronautica

Nearly a half million copies of Atlas Shrugged, her magnum opus, were sold in 2011.

Huffington Post

After nearly a half-century of being world famous, Cher has encountered every type of boldface name.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "nearly a half of", ensure that the context involves quantifiable elements or countable items to maintain clarity and accuracy. For example, "Nearly a half of the students passed the exam".

Common error

Avoid using "nearly a half of" when a more precise figure is available. If the actual percentage is known (e.g., 48%), stating the exact percentage is preferable to using an approximation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "nearly a half of" functions as a quantifier, modifying a noun to indicate that the quantity is slightly less than one-half of the total. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage and applicability across various contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

36%

News & Media

36%

Formal & Business

9%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

3%

Academia

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "nearly a half of" is a versatile phrase used to denote an approximate quantity slightly less than 50%. Ludwig AI confirms that this phrase is grammatically sound and acceptable for use in various contexts. It is commonly found in scientific, news, and business sources, indicating its broad applicability. While alternatives like "almost half of" or "approximately half of" exist, the choice depends on the desired level of formality. When using "nearly a half of", remember to ensure that the context involves quantifiable elements and avoid it when a more precise figure is available for enhanced clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

almost half of

Uses 'almost' instead of 'nearly' for a slightly more informal tone.

close to half of

Replaces 'nearly' with 'close to', emphasizing approximation.

approximately half of

Employs 'approximately' to convey a similar sense of estimation but with a more formal tone.

roughly half of

Substitutes 'nearly' with 'roughly', indicating an approximate quantity.

in the vicinity of half of

A more verbose alternative using 'in the vicinity of' to express approximation.

in the neighborhood of half of

Similar to 'in the vicinity of', but uses 'neighborhood' for a more colloquial feel.

just under half of

Indicates the quantity is slightly less than half.

a good portion of

Less precise, referring to a substantial but not necessarily quantifiable part.

a sizable fraction of

Emphasizes the size or proportion of the part being referred to.

a substantial segment of

Highlights a significant portion, often used in formal contexts.

FAQs

How can I use "nearly a half of" in a sentence?

You can use "nearly a half of" to indicate that something is a little less than 50% of a whole. For example, "Nearly a half of the survey respondents preferred the new design".

What can I say instead of "nearly a half of"?

Alternatives include "almost half of", "close to half of", or "approximately half of", depending on the desired level of formality.

Is it better to say "almost half of" or "nearly a half of"?

Both "almost half of" and "nearly a half of" are acceptable. "Almost half of" might be considered slightly more common in everyday speech, but "nearly a half of" is perfectly valid and suitable for various contexts.

When should I use "nearly a half of" instead of a more precise fraction?

Use "nearly a half of" when you want to convey an approximate amount and precision isn't critical. If you have the exact figure (e.g., 47%), using that specific percentage might be more informative. In less formal cases, you can also use expressions like "roughly half of".