Talk:percentage
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singular verb[edit]
According to Garner's fourth edition
When the verb precedes the noun, a singular verb is required. That is, a higher percentage of them are, but there is a higher percentage of them
Common nouns of multitude: lot, flood, handful, majority, mass, minority, multitude, percentage, proportion, variety.
Though serving as a plural when the need arises, series is ordinarily a singular <the series is quite popular>. But it is also a noun of multitude, so that phrases such as a series of things take a plural verb.
The collocation there {has been - is} a series has predominated over there {have been - are} a series, respectively.
Does this singular have to do with the pronominal there itself in general? --Backinstadiums (talk) 19:20, 5 December 2019 (UTC)
- No. Equinox ◑ 19:21, 5 December 2019 (UTC)
- @Equinox: a counterexapmle: If you are speaking of the senators as individuals, say A majority of the senators have cast their votes (Microsoft® Encarta® 2009) --Backinstadiums (talk) 11:17, 2 April 2020 (UTC)
Inconsistent usage[edit]
Due to inconsistent usage, it is not always clear from the context what a percentage is relative to.
When speaking of a "10% rise" or a "10% fall" in a quantity, the usual interpretation is that this is relative to the initial value of that quantity. JMGN (talk) 15:08, 3 March 2024 (UTC)