over half of

USAGE SUMMARY

'over half of' is a correct an usable phrase in written English.
You can use it to describe a portion of something that is greater than 50%. For example: "Over half of the students in the class did not pass the test."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Formal & Business

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Over half of prison inmates are Maori.

The Economist

Over half of all military wives work.

The Washington Post

I've spoken to over half of them.

Independent

Over half of them have legal casinos.

The New York Times

Over half of those children were from Asian countries.

University of California, Berkeley

Over half of students take COS 126 before graduation.

Princeton University

Water shortages plague over half of China's cities.

Stanford University

Over half of the respondents received the ALSAQ-40.

Journal of the Neurological Sciences

Isolated fractures occurred in over half of the cases.

Brazilian Journal of Otorhinolaryngology

Over half of the patients were male.

International Journal of Emergency Medicine

In over half of these, the improvement is marked.

Duke University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Follow "over half of" with a specific noun or pronoun to maintain clarity. Avoid vague references that could confuse the reader.

Common error

Ensure the verb agrees with the noun that follows "over half of". If the noun is plural, use a plural verb (e.g., "Over half of the students are attending"). If the noun is singular and uncountable, use a singular verb (e.g., "Over half of the water is contaminated").

Linguistic Context

The phrase "over half of" functions as a determiner or quantifier, modifying a noun to indicate that the quantity is greater than 50%. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically correct and usable. This indicates its established role in English grammar, as reflected in the provided examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

39%

News & Media

25%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Wiki

3%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "over half of" is a versatile and grammatically sound way to express that a quantity exceeds 50%. According to Ludwig AI, it is a correct and usable phrase in written English. Found across diverse contexts, including science, news, and academia, the phrase maintains a neutral register suitable for both formal and informal communication. Keep in mind to be consistent with your verb agreement. Alternatives such as "more than half of" and "a majority of" can provide variety in your writing while preserving the intended meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

more than half of

Simple substitution; retains the exact meaning with different wording.

a majority of

Replaces the numerical reference with a general term indicating a larger part.

greater than 50% of

Expresses the same proportion in explicit percentage terms.

over 50 percent of

This alternative substitutes "half" with "50 percent" for a more numerically explicit phrasing.

in excess of 50% of

Formally indicates the proportion exceeding the stated percentage.

more than half the number of

Adds the number explicitly to create a quantitative nuance that is closest to the meaning of the query.

exceeding half of

This implies a situation where the proportion goes beyond the 50% threshold.

a significant portion of

Indicates a notable part without specifying the exact percentage.

most of

Refers to a large quantity, but not necessarily strictly over half.

a large fraction of

Indicates a substantial, though unspecified, part of the whole.

FAQs

How do I use "over half of" in a sentence?

Use "over half of" followed by a noun or pronoun to indicate that more than 50% of something is being referred to. For example, "Over half of the students" passed the test.

Is it correct to say "more than half of" instead of "over half of"?

Yes, "more than half of" is a perfectly acceptable and often interchangeable alternative to "over half of". Both phrases convey the same meaning.

What is a more formal alternative to "over half of"?

A more formal alternative to "over half of" could be "a majority of" or "in excess of 50 percent of", depending on the desired level of precision.

Can "over half of" be used with both countable and uncountable nouns?

Yes, "over half of" can be used with both countable nouns (e.g., "over half of the books") and uncountable nouns (e.g., "over half of the water").