proportion vs proportions

Both 'proportion' and 'proportions' are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'Proportion' is singular and refers to a part or share of a whole, while 'proportions' is plural and refers to the size, extent, or importance of something.

Last updated: March 25, 2024 • 1214 views

This is correct. 'Proportion' is singular and refers to a part or share of a whole.

"proportion"

Use 'proportion' when referring to a single part or share of a whole. For example, 'The proportion of men to women in the room was equal.'

Examples:

The proportion of students who passed the exam was high.
She ate a large proportion of the cake.
What proportion of the budget is allocated to marketing?
The proportion of elderly people in the population is increasing.
We need to consider the proportion of each ingredient in the recipe.

Show examples from the web [+]

White Noise contains all frequencies in equal proportion.
House rent stands in inverse proportion to industrial poverty.
And they litter a very high proportion of boys.
A small proportion of cases, however, can be attributed to known genetic factors.
Whatever its cause, a great proportion of animals were exterminated.
A proportion of the water which falls on the ground as rain evaporates.
Americans got no sense of proportion.
Systemic exposure of rosuvastatin increases in proportion to dose.
This offended Melko's sense of proportion.
Diabetes prevalence has reached an epidemic proportion.
This was the largest proportion of any party.
Dog dander contains the highest proportion of dog-specific allergens.
Adding the right proportion of additives to building materials is essential.
Their proportion gradually decreased in the next two centuries.
The product contains the same proportion of carbohydrates and proteins.
Obesity means an excessively high proportion of body fat.
Racemic mixtures are those that have both enantiomers in equal proportion.
That satisfies my sense of proportion.
I've no sense of proportion.
Of course, it's just a matter of proportion.

Alternatives:

ratio
percentage
fraction
share
part

This is correct. 'Proportions' is plural and refers to the size, extent, or importance of something.

"proportions"

Use 'proportions' when referring to multiple sizes, extents, or importance of things. For example, 'The proportions of the building were impressive.'

Examples:

The proportions of the painting were perfect.
The project grew beyond our initial proportions.
The dress was tailored to fit her proportions.
The architect carefully considered the proportions of the building.
The recipe called for specific proportions of each ingredient.

Show examples from the web [+]

Her proportions are ideal, if improbable.
Disaster of nightmarish proportions and whatnot.
Obesity has taken on epidemic proportions.
Type 2 diabetes is reaching epidemic proportions in Europe.
In the overall experience of MabThera repeat treatment over one year, the proportions of patients with positive antibody titers against S. pneumoniae, influenza, mumps, rubella, varicella and tetanus toxoid were generally similar to the proportions at baseline.
Worldwide, online gambling has reached epidemic proportions.
Noise and pollution levels therefore rise to inhumane proportions.
The problem of obesity and diet-related diseases has taken dramatic proportions worldwide.
In Malaysia, this practice has reached epidemic proportions.
But I believe the proportions are evident in human genome DNA.
Its unique proportions make it quite habit-forming.
I'm sure my reputation in prison has reached mythical proportions.
No, I... the proportions are right.
You are a thief of biblical proportions, after all.
The housing market has reached frantic proportions.
The hab hurtles into a martian dust devil of terrifying proportions.
We face a threat of biblical proportions.
We're talking about a storm of biblical proportions Matt.
No, these are the proportions.
But more to the point, the proportions are all wrong.

Alternatives:

dimensions
sizes
magnitudes
scales
ratios

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proportion vs proportions

"proportion"

"proportions"

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