percent and percents

Question

Hi,I think a percent is used when indicating a certain number percent, not a range of percent numbers -- in this case, we seem to use the word 'percents'. When using the symbol '%', how do you know it is referring to the range or a specifc number? I think context will tell and for the case below I think it is referring to a range.... feel that 25% of the total vote and 25% of the votes cast for a particular position is an acceptable minimum.Why 'vote' in one and 'votes' in the other?

Mr Wordy · Accepted Answer

Instead of "a percent", say "a percentage" if you mean the ratio, or "a percent(age) sign" if you mean the symbol.

Instead of "percents", say "percentages" if you mean ratios, or "percent(age) signs" if you mean symbols.

I don't really see what you mean by "referring to the range or a specific number". If something is stated as "25%" then that's what it means: exactly twenty-five percent (well, as exactly as the quality of the data and the precision to which the answer is stated allow, of course).

~~To specify a range, you would write, for example, 25%-30% (where my hyphen should properly be an en dash).~~

Edit: Sorry, being a bit slow. You mean that "25%" means "at least 25%", right? In this sentence it actually doesn't, because we also have "is an acceptable minimum". But sometimes it can. For example:

You must get 25% of the vote.

This would be understood to mean "at least 25%". To figure this out, all you can do is look at the context. If it's obvious that it means "at least", then supply "at least".

The noun "vote" has two slightly different meanings in your sentence. In the first case it means all the votes cast, considered collectively (it can also refer more generally to the process of holding a vote). In the second case it means an individual vote cast by one person.

percent and percents

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions