ten percent

USAGE SUMMARY

"ten percent" is a correct and commonly used phrase in written English.
It can be used to describe a percentage or proportion of something. Example: "Ten percent of the students in the class received an A on the test."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

"Ten percent".

The New York Times - Magazine

Ten percent left voluntarily.

The New York Times

Ten percent off?

The New York Times - Food

Ten percent were nuclear.

The New York Times

(Ten percent remain undecided).

The New York Times

Our fee is the usual ten percent.

The New Yorker

Ten percent of people are disabled.

The New York Times

The other ten percent I'll probably waste".

The New Yorker

Ten percent said the drugs were unsafe.

The New York Times

Ten percent traveled on a parent's lap.

The New York Times - Health

But unemployment is now ten percent.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about statistics, ensure the context clearly defines what the "ten percent" refers to, avoiding ambiguity. For instance, specify "ten percent of the total budget" rather than just "ten percent".

Common error

Avoid assuming the "ten percent" is universally understood. Always provide the total or base from which the percentage is derived to prevent misinterpretations. For instance, stating "profits increased by ten percent" is unclear without knowing the initial profit amount.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "ten percent" functions as a quantifier, specifying a proportion or ratio, generally indicating a relatively small part of a whole. This is consistent with the numerous examples provided by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

58%

Formal & Business

1%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

1%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "ten percent" is a common and grammatically correct way to express a proportion or ratio, as confirmed by Ludwig. It is used across diverse contexts, from news and media to scientific research. Ludwig's AI confirms its frequent usage in both formal and informal settings, although its register can vary depending on the source. When using "ten percent", ensure clarity by specifying the base or total it refers to, avoiding ambiguity. Alternatives like "a tenth" or "approximately 10%" can be used depending on the context. Being precise about what the "ten percent" is calculated from is crucial for effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

10 percent

Numerical representation instead of words; meaning remains identical.

a tenth

Expresses the same proportion using a fractional term.

one tenth

More verbose version of the fractional representation.

approximately 10%

Adds a degree of approximation to the percentage.

around 10 percent

Similar to 'approximately,' indicating an estimate.

in the vicinity of 10 percent

More formal way to express 'around 10 percent'.

a small fraction

More general term indicating a minor portion, where the exact value isn't important.

a minor portion

Similar to 'a small fraction,' suggesting a relatively small amount.

a limited percentage

Emphasizes the restriction of the percentage.

single-digit percentage

Highlights that the percentage is less than 10.

FAQs

How do I correctly use "ten percent" in a sentence?

Use "ten percent" to indicate a proportion out of a whole, like "ten percent of the students" or "a ten percent increase".

What are some alternatives to saying "ten percent"?

You can use phrases such as "a tenth", "one tenth", or "approximately 10%" depending on the context.

Is it better to write "10 percent" or "ten percent"?

Both "10 percent" and "ten percent" are acceptable. Numerals (10 percent) are often preferred in technical or statistical contexts, while spelling out the number (ten percent) is common in general writing.

What's the difference between "ten percent" and "ten percentage points"?

"Ten percent" refers to a proportion of a whole. "Ten percentage points" refers to the arithmetic difference between two percentages. For example, if a rate increases from 5% to 15%, that's a ten percentage point increase.