twice smaller than

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "twice smaller than" is not correct in standard English usage.
It is often intended to express a quantity that is half the size of another, but the phrasing is misleading and can cause confusion. Example: "The new model is not twice smaller than the old one; it is actually half the size."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

18 human-written examples

contains the number of spread terms that is twice smaller than for the WD (Table 1).

EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing

The methanol permeability of directional conducting membrane is very low, which is about twice smaller than that of Nafion117.

International Journal of Hydrogen Energy

Importantly, the maximum CFL number at large Reynolds number appears twice smaller than with the traditional Weakly Compressible (WCSPH) approach.

Journal of Computational Physics

Slopes of two indicate large bias, whereas the estimates are twice smaller than the predicted, if the intercepts are zero.

Forest Ecosystems

FNLDH and PALDH exhibited virtually the same apparent NADH S0.5 value (about 0.035 mM), which was approximately twice smaller than that of ECLDH.

AMB Express

in the sample pyrolyzed in argon is at least twice smaller than in the sample pyrolyzed in air (50 70 nm against 70 100 nm, respectively).

Materials for Renewable and Sustainable Energy

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

41 human-written examples

For example, they discovered that the damage area generated by the 500-fs pulse in fused silica glass was twice as much smaller than that produced by the 900-ps pulse.

Nanoscale Research Letters

It is obviously expected that the etching process would dissolve completely all silicon grains having a size dimension smaller than twice of the SiNW height.

Nanoscale Research Letters

Of the approximate 265 Kepler planets represented on the graph, about 140 were labeled "like Earth," that is, having a radius smaller than twice Earth's radius.

Science Magazine

The sensing performance of the close-type NiO was superior to the other, which benefits from the following factors: In the close-type nanoflower, (1) the architecture is more porous and closer; (2) more nanojunctions between adjacent nanosheets are formed; (3) abundant micro reaction rooms are assembled by nanosheets; (4) the thickness of nanosheets are much smaller than twice Debye length.

Materials Letters

We have deliberately ignored that the mass difference between two measured peaks in ({mathcal{D}}) may be smaller than twice the chosen mass accuracy; in this case, two peaks would be assigned the same molecular formula in the fragmentation graph and, possibly, also the maximum colorful subtree, violating our condition that all nodes have to be different molecular formulas.

Journal of Cheminformatics

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing size comparisons, prioritize clarity and precision by using "half the size of" or "50% smaller than" instead of "twice smaller than" to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "twice smaller than" as it is often misinterpreted. Instead, use clearer phrasing like "half the size of" or "50% smaller than" to ensure your comparison is easily understood.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "twice smaller than" functions as a comparative, aiming to describe the relative size of one item in relation to another. However, Ludwig AI points out that it is not grammatically correct in standard English, thus impacting its effectiveness.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

100%

Less common in

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "twice smaller than" is used to express a size comparison, Ludwig AI identifies it as grammatically incorrect. Its intended meaning is to convey that something is half the size of another. Despite its prevalence in scientific literature, it's best to opt for clearer and more accurate alternatives such as "half the size of" or "50% smaller than" to avoid ambiguity and ensure effective communication. Always aim for precision in comparative descriptions to maintain clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

half the size of

Replaces "twice smaller than" with a fraction representing the quantitative relationship.

half as big as

Alternative phrasing to indicate something is half the size of another.

50% smaller than

Expresses the size difference as a percentage reduction.

one half the size of

Uses "one half" for formal specification of the size reduction.

fifty percent less than

Another way to say "50% smaller", this emphasizes the reduction.

two times less than

Indicates a quantity is two times smaller using the term "less than".

reduced by 50 percent compared to

Clearly states the proportional reduction in size.

half the magnitude of

Uses "magnitude" to describe the size difference.

smaller by a factor of two than

Emphasizes the factor by which the size is reduced.

half the dimensions of

Focuses on the dimensional aspect of size comparison.

FAQs

What is a more grammatically sound alternative to "twice smaller than"?

The preferred alternatives include "half the size of" or "50 percent smaller than". These options avoid the ambiguity associated with the original phrasing.

How can I use "half the size of" in a sentence?

For example, you could say: "The new component is "half the size of" the original component, resulting in significant space savings."

When should I use "50 percent smaller than" instead of "twice smaller than"?

Always. "50 percent smaller than" is a clearer and more accurate way to express that something is half the size of something else. Avoid "twice smaller than" altogether.

Is "twice as small as" the same as "twice smaller than"?

No. "Twice as small as" means something is half the size of something else. "Twice smaller than" is grammatically incorrect and confusing; avoid its use.