proportion of children

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "proportion of children" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing statistics or demographics related to children in a specific context, such as education, health, or population studies. Example: "The proportion of children living in poverty has increased over the past decade."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

An increasing proportion of children were being born deformed.

The Guardian

Duncan Smith told MPs: "Worklessness measures will identify the proportion of children living in workless households and the proportion of children in long-term workless households.

The Guardian

At Alfred M. Franko Middle School, the proportion of children meeting standards almost doubled.

The New York Times

The proportion of children living in poverty in the UK has increased from 24%to25.6%6%.

The Guardian

The average proportion of children claiming the benefit in state primary schools across Camden is 38.8%.

The Guardian

Schools are required to take a proportion of children from "other faiths"; atheism doesn't count.

The Guardian - Opinion

The proportion of children walking or cycling to school is falling around the world.

The Guardian

The proportion of children who die under the age of 5 has risen in 14 nations.

The New York Times

The proportion of children without coverage declined as well, to 13.9percentt from 15.4percentt.

The New York Times

Under Labour, the proportion of children reaching this target had risen to over 90%.

The Guardian

In the UK the proportion of children and teenagers aged 19 and under taking antidepressants rose from 0.7%to1.1%1%.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about statistics, clearly define the population you are referring to when you mention the "proportion of children". This ensures clarity and avoids misinterpretations.

Common error

Avoid using the "proportion of children" when you actually mean the absolute number of children. Proportion indicates a ratio relative to a whole, not a standalone count.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "proportion of children" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as the subject or object of a sentence. It is used to quantify or specify a relative amount of children within a larger group. Ludwig AI identifies it as grammatically correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

31%

Science

45%

Formal & Business

2%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "proportion of children" is a grammatically sound and frequently used noun phrase, as confirmed by Ludwig. It serves to quantify the relative amount of children in various contexts, predominantly in scientific, news, and formal settings. While alternatives like "percentage of children" and "number of children" exist, the choice depends on the specific nuance you aim to convey. Using the phrase correctly involves ensuring clarity by defining the population being referenced. Given its prevalence and clear utility, "proportion of children" remains a valuable tool for effective communication in diverse written forms.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

percentage of children

Replaces "proportion" with "percentage", focusing on the numerical representation.

ratio of children

Uses "ratio" instead of "proportion", emphasizing the relative relationship.

fraction of children

Employs "fraction" to represent a part of the whole group of children.

share of children

Substitutes "proportion" with "share", indicating a portion or allotment.

number of children

Shifts the focus to the absolute count rather than the relative amount.

prevalence of children

Indicates how widespread a condition or characteristic is among children.

representation of children

Focuses on how children are represented within a larger group or context.

incidence of children

Refers to the rate at which something occurs among children.

extent of children

Highlights the degree to which children are involved or affected.

volume of children

Replaces "proportion" with "volume", focusing on the absolute quantity of children.

FAQs

How can I use "proportion of children" in a sentence?

Use "proportion of children" when you want to describe a relative amount or percentage of children within a specific group. For example: "The "proportion of children" living in poverty has increased."

What is a good alternative to "proportion of children"?

Alternatives include "percentage of children", "number of children" (when referring to absolute count), or "ratio of children" depending on the specific context.

Is there a difference between "proportion of children" and "percentage of children"?

While similar, "proportion" typically refers to a fraction or ratio, while "percentage of children" is that fraction expressed as a value out of 100. They are often interchangeable but "percentage" is more precise when a percentage value is known.

When is it more appropriate to use "number of children" instead of "proportion of children"?

Use "number of children" when you want to emphasize the raw count, whereas "proportion of children" is suitable when you want to highlight a comparative amount within a defined group.