2 percent is vs 2 percent are

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in different contexts. '2 percent is' is used when referring to a singular entity or a singular concept represented by the percentage. '2 percent are' is used when referring to a plural entity or multiple items represented by the percentage.

Last updated: March 23, 2024 • 878 views

2 percent is

This phrase is correct when referring to a singular entity or concept represented by the percentage.

Use '2 percent is' when talking about a singular entity or concept represented by the percentage, such as '2 percent is the standard rate.'

Examples:

2 percent is the maximum allowed error rate.
2 percent is a small portion of the total.
2 percent is considered a significant increase.

Show examples from the web [+]

The cargo market would see growth of between 1 and 2 percent, which is highly significant given the size of the market globally (with the European and American industry accounting for 70% of the global fleet).
Seventy-five milligrams Demerol IV, Lidocaine 2 percent local.
Power loss now 1 2 percent.
This subsidisation produces credit costs up to 1-2 percent below the market standard.
This subsidisation produces credit costs up to 1-2 percent below the LIBOR standard.
Six million containers enter U.S. ports every year yet fewer than 2 percent of them are opened and inspected by U.S. Customs.
The 2 percent of his action, that's up to you.
And at 2 percent interest over a period of 1000 years that comes to 4.3 billion dollars.
But if you employ optimal strategy and always drop with a royal flush, You can push those odds to 2 percent.
I'll give you your 2 percent.
Meckel's occurs in 2 percent of the population.
At the time in Sweden we had practically full employment, e.g. only 2 percent unemployment, among the population as a whole.
At this distance of 36 million miles... ...you are observing the sun at 2 percent of full brightness.
In Sweden and Finland for example two thirds of schools have access to the Internet while the figure is fewer than 2 percent of schools in Germany.
After decades of 2 percent, we are now at 5 percent, and it's going to - projected - 6 and 7 percent even.
Less than 2 percent of the sunlight reaches the floor, but even here there is extraordinary variety.
In less than 200 years, you know, just in a few generations, we've gone from being 200 - being 100 percent, 95 percent farmers to less than 2 percent of farmers.
Two thirds of all the world's disabled persons live in the Third World, and only 2 percent of disabled children in these developing countries receive any form of education or rehabilitation.
Table 2 Percent of Patients Responding by Treatment Group and Phase - Cycle 1 Moderately Emetogenic Chemotherapy
So you're bringing in an overall decline of 2 percent for the month... but if I read this correctly, almost half of that's coming... from an eight-percent drop in the Western District?

Alternatives:

2 percent represents
2 percent equals

2 percent are

This phrase is correct when referring to a plural entity or multiple items represented by the percentage.

Use '2 percent are' when talking about a plural entity or multiple items represented by the percentage, such as '2 percent are the students who passed the exam.'