Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[TALA]

Hello,

I'd like ask about words that describe percent.
For example, I believe that we can use none for 0%, half for 50% and all for 100%.
But what about 25%, can we use few?
33% = a significant number?
66% = most?
75% = the majority?
90% = the vast majority?

Thank you

[CP]

None, half, and all for 0%, 50%, and 100% are always correct.

You are right to try to attach phrases to percentages, but when it comes to percentages, context is very important. For instance:

While 25% is may be only "a few" if 25% of your pullovers are blue, 25% is a staggering number if 25% of the population have AIDS.

Similarly, 33% is a significant number if 33% of the houses in your neighborhood have rats, but 33% is not so great if only 33% of the eligible persons vote in the election.

If you give the percentage, then describe it as "a few" or "a staggering proportion," you give the audience both the facts and your interpretation at the same time. That is useful to remember whenever you say or write it, and also whenever you hear or read someone else's words with statistics.

Hope that is helpful.
_________________
You live a new life for every new language you speak. -Czech proverb

[TALA]

Thank you very much for your helpful explanation