practically half of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "practically half of" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate an approximate quantity or proportion that is close to fifty percent of something. Example: "Practically half of the participants in the survey reported feeling satisfied with the service."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

That's practically half of all the ice-free land in the world.

The New York Times

Slovakia has been getting help from the expected sources — top N.H.L. players like the Rangers Marian Gaborikk and Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara, who has been playing practically half of every game.

The New York Times - Sports

Nevertheless, the participating autonomous communities are quite diverse and include practically half of the Spanish population.

BMC Health Services Research

Interestingly, Table 1 shows that, for the RPLC-MS method, practically half of the identified compounds were not properly retained by the C18 column, and, among the retained compounds, 39% were small polar metabolites for ESI+ and 63% for ESI–.

Analytical Chemistry

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

After all, the manager of the England team is practically half Swedish.

The Guardian - Books

The Knicks' Tyson Chandler, who averages 32 minutes a game, ices practically half his body every night, placing his feet in buckets of ice.

The New York Times - Sports

Practically half the people do not want spring hunting to continue," he said.

The Guardian

But in the past two years, PrEP has gone mainstream, and practically half my friends are on it.

Huffington Post

The rock practically takes over half of her finger.

Huffington Post

Second is the "Chao God", which practically takes up half of the garden.

WikiHow

Practically the whole first half of "Middlesex," like a doorstop biography run amok, takes place before Cal is even born.

The New York Times - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "practically half of", ensure the context allows for a reasonable approximation. Avoid using it when precise figures are required.

Common error

Avoid using "practically half of" if the actual percentage is significantly different from 50%. This phrase implies a closer approximation than 'roughly' or 'around'.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "practically half of" functions as a quantifier, specifying an amount that is nearly equivalent to 50% of a given whole. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

30%

Wiki

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

10%

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "practically half of" is a useful quantifier that suggests a quantity close to 50%. Ludwig AI confirms that it's correct and usable in English. While versatile, it's best employed when an approximation is acceptable. Alternatives like "almost half of" or "nearly half of" can be used for similar effect, with "approximately half of" being a more formal choice. It is frequently used in News & Media and Scientific contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

almost half of

Indicates a quantity that is slightly less than half.

nearly half of

Similar to 'almost half', suggesting a quantity close to 50%.

close to half of

Highlights the approximation of being near the halfway point.

roughly half of

Implies an estimated quantity around 50%.

approximately half of

A more formal way of indicating an estimated quantity close to 50%.

just under half of

Indicates the amount is a bit less than half.

slightly less than half of

More precise way of saying something is below 50%.

in the vicinity of half of

Describes a quantity that is in the general area of 50%.

in the neighborhood of half of

Similar to 'in the vicinity of', implies general proximity to half.

something like half of

Informal expression indicating an amount resembling half.

FAQs

What does "practically half of" mean?

The phrase "practically half of" indicates that something is very close to, but not exactly, 50%. It suggests a strong approximation.

What can I say instead of "practically half of"?

You can use alternatives like "almost half of", "nearly half of", or "roughly half of" depending on the desired level of precision.

Is it more accurate to say "almost half of" or "practically half of"?

Both phrases are used to indicate an approximate quantity close to 50%, but the choice depends on the specific context and the degree of approximation you want to convey. "Almost half of" may suggest a slightly smaller quantity compared to "practically half of".

Can "practically half of" be used in formal writing?

Yes, "practically half of" is generally acceptable in formal writing, although alternatives like "approximately half of" may be preferred for a more precise tone.