only one tenth

USAGE SUMMARY

"only one tenth" is a grammatically correct part of a sentence, and can be used in written English.
You can use it when you want to show a fraction of something that is less than one. For example: "Only one tenth of the population has access to clean drinking water."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

15 human-written examples

China counters that its emissions, on a per capita basis, are only one tenth of North America's.

Huffington Post

On the other hand, psychopathy was present among only one tenth, which was less than we expected.

BMC Psychiatry

The better heaters produce only one tenth the smoke of typical heaters seven years ago.

Renewable Energy

Only one tenth of Americans buy insurance for themselves, the rest getting coverage through their employers or the government.

Forbes

Go-go dancing demands exhausting vigor, time and energy -- but often yields only one tenth of a stripper's pay.

Huffington Post

In one of the trials, for example, researchers substituted only one tenth of the natural protein with GM soy protein.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

45 human-written examples

Half of the commercial port traffic is concentrated on only one-tenth of the coastline.

Britannica

In a Finnish study, only one-tenth of the wintering goldcrest population, which mainly fed on spiders, survived to spring.

Wikipedia

However, only one-tenth had major errors that would have noteworthy threat on the quality of COD statistics.

BMJ Open

"That's only one-tenth of a water tanker.

The New York Times

Only one-tenth of the land is forested.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "only one tenth" to clearly indicate a small fraction or proportion, particularly when precision is needed. For instance, "Only one tenth of the students passed the exam", clearly conveys the failure rate.

Common error

Avoid using "only one tenth" when a more general term like "a small fraction" is more appropriate, as overuse can make your writing sound overly technical or stiff.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "only one tenth" functions as a quantifier, specifically denoting a fraction. It modifies a noun to indicate that a very small proportion of the whole is being considered. Ludwig shows examples where it specifies amounts in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

42%

News & Media

42%

Encyclopedias

8%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Academia

1%

Formal & Business

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "only one tenth" is a versatile phrase used to precisely quantify small proportions, often to emphasize scarcity or highlight discrepancies. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically correct and frequently employed in scientific, news, and encyclopedia contexts. When writing, ensure that precise quantification is needed; otherwise, a more general term may be more appropriate. Consider replacing it with ""ten percent"" or ""a small fraction"" for better flow in certain situations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a tenth part

Replaces "only one" with "a", emphasizing the fractional portion.

ten percent

Expresses the same quantity as a percentage.

one tenth alone

Adds emphasis with "alone", highlighting the small quantity.

merely a tenth

Uses "merely" to downplay the amount.

just a tenth

Replaces "only" with "just", indicating a small proportion.

a small fraction

Generalizes the quantity, indicating a small, indefinite amount.

a tiny portion

Emphasizes the diminutive size of the quantity.

one in ten

Expresses the quantity as a ratio.

a minimal amount

Broadly indicates a very small quantity.

a negligible quantity

Highlights that the quantity is so small it can be ignored.

FAQs

How can I use "only one tenth" in a sentence?

You can use "only one tenth" to specify a precise small fraction of something. For example: "Only one tenth of the applicants were accepted".

What are some alternatives to saying "only one tenth"?

Alternatives include "ten percent", "a tenth part", or "a small fraction", depending on the level of precision required.

Is it better to say "only one tenth" or "ten percent"?

Both "only one tenth" and "ten percent" are correct, but ""ten percent"" is often preferred in more general contexts, while "only one tenth" might be favored for technical or scientific writing where exactness is important.

When should I avoid using the phrase "only one tenth"?

Avoid using "only one tenth" if the exact fraction is not crucial to your meaning and a more general term like "a small portion" or "a minority" would suffice.