rate about

USAGE SUMMARY

"rate about" is not a correct or common phrase in written English.
It is possible that someone may use it in spoken English, but it is not considered grammatically correct. A more appropriate phrase to use would be "about the rate" or "rate of". For example: - The article talked about the rate of inflation in the economy. - The presentation discussed the rate of success in the company. - The teacher gave a lecture about the rate of change in mathematical equations.

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

The albums have kept coming at an impressively steady rate, about one per year.

The New Yorker

The official rate nowadays is 22 naira to the dollar, the market rate about 89 naira.

The Economist

"I have a pretty good response rate — about 10 percent," Ms. Lord said.

The New York Times

Other long-term care hospitals were cited at a rate about twice that of regular hospitals.

The New York Times - Health

Inevitably, those mortgages suffered the highest failure rate: about two-thirds of the borrowers defaulted again.

The New York Times

A similar F.D.A. survey in 2006 found the failure rate about the same.

The New York Times - Health

Jefferson County, where Port Arthur is located, has a cancer rate about 20percentt higher than the state average.

The New York Times

Forecasters are predicting there will be growth in 2001, but at a rate about half the gains of 2000.

The New York Times

Economists generally think the economy is shrinking at a slower rate, about 2percentt, in the current quarter.

The New York Times

Overall, attempts to separate twins joined at the head have had a high death rate, about 50percentt.

The New York Times

Mortgages sold to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac typically have a rate about 0.3 percentage points lower than other loans.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing proportions, use "rate of" for grammatical correctness; for example, "the rate of increase" rather than "the rate about increase".

Common error

Avoid using "about" to connect a noun and a rate; instead, use "of". For example, instead of saying "the infection rate about 14 percent", say "the infection rate of about 14 percent".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "rate about" functions to quantify or describe a proportion or frequency related to a specific subject or event. Ludwig AI considers this phrase grammatically incorrect, suggesting the use of "rate of" instead for better clarity and correctness.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

49%

Science

44%

Encyclopedias

2%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Wiki

1%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "rate about" appears frequently across various sources, Ludwig AI indicates that it's generally considered grammatically incorrect. The correct and preferred form is "rate of". Although common, especially in News & Media and Science contexts, it's best to use "rate of" in formal writing to maintain grammatical accuracy. For similar expressions, consider using alternatives such as "approximately the rate", or "at a rate of approximately", depending on the specific context. Remember to use "rate of" instead of "rate about".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

approximately the rate

Emphasizes approximation in the rate, focusing on estimates rather than precision.

at a rate of approximately

Specifies the rate with an added emphasis on the approximate value.

the approximate rate

Stresses that the rate provided is an estimation, not necessarily an exact figure.

in relation to the rate

Highlights the connection or comparison between the rate and another factor or variable.

the rate is close to

Indicates nearness to a specific value of rate, implying it's not precise.

rate in the vicinity of

Indicates the rate is near or close to a certain level without specifying an exact value.

around the rate

Similar to "approximately", but can also imply surrounding factors influencing the rate.

the rate is estimated

Suggests that the rate is an educated guess or projection, not a confirmed measure.

the general rate

Implies rate commonness and general usage in the specific scenario.

a rate on average

Refers to the rate obtained by averaging over a period or number of instances.

FAQs

How can I correctly use the term "rate" in a sentence?

Always follow "rate" with "of" when specifying what the rate pertains to. For example, say "the rate of inflation", not "the rate about inflation".

What's a grammatically correct alternative to "rate about"?

Use "rate of approximately", or rephrase your sentence to incorporate alternatives like "approximately the rate", or "at a rate of approximately".

Is it ever correct to use "rate about" in formal writing?

No, "rate about" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. Prefer using "rate of" or other similar constructions for formal writing. Using alternative constructions will improve your writing clarity and correctness.

How does the phrase "rate about" differ from "rate of"?

"Rate of" is the standard and grammatically correct construction used to describe a proportion or frequency. "Rate about" is not recommended as it does not conform to standard English grammar. Consider using alternatives like "in relation to the rate", or "around the rate", depending on context.