Is percent one word

Last Update: Jan 03, 2023

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Asked by: Elvera Kohler

Score: 4.7/5
(48 votes)

Word and symbol

In British English, percent is usually written as two words (per cent), although percentage and percentile are written as one word. In American English, percent is the most common variant (but per mille is written as two words).

Are there word percentages?

Is percent one-word or two words?

The spellings per cent and percent are both correct. The two-word spelling is more common in Canada and Britain, while the one-word spelling is preferred in the United States.

Is percent and percentage the same thing?

The rule for using percent and percentage is straightforward. The word percent (or the symbol %) accompanies a specific number, whereas the more general word percentage is used without a number.

Should I use or percent?

If you’re deciding whether to use «percent» or «%», please «use the symbol for percent only when it is preceded by a numeral. Use the word percentage when a number is not given» (American Psychological Association, 2010, p. 118). For example, 3% versus «a low percentage».

22 related questions found

The one-word percent is standard in American English. Percent is not absent from other varieties of English, but most publications still prefer the two-word per cent. The older forms per-cent, per cent. (per cent followed by a period), and the original per centum have mostly disappeared from the language (although the latter sometimes appears in legal writing).

There is no difference between percent and per cent. Choosing between them is simply a matter of preference.

Examples

U.S.

The city’s white population has a 6 percent poverty rate, lower than the white rate in every state. [New York Times]

There’s reason to believe that Gingrich’s support—pegged at about 15 percent in polling averages—is very soft. [Washington Post]

As an African-American member of the 1 percent, Tom Burrell sees himself as having a foot in two worlds. [Chicago Tribune]

Outside the U.S.

Treasury dealers were left holding 62.3 per cent of the $32bn three-year sale. [Financial Times]

It’s been a seller’s market in Greater Vancouver for 55 per cent of the last eleven years. [Vancouver Sun]

McDonald’s Corp gained three per cent after reporting January sales that were higher than analysts predicted. [Sydney Morning Herald]

Word and symbol In British English, percent is usually written as two words (per cent), although percentage and percentile are written as one word. In American English, percent is the most common variant (but per mille is written as two words).

Is percent a collective noun?

People is NOT a collective noun like team or staff. It is a plural noun. However, the subject is one, which is singular and takes a singular verb. Fractions and percentages, like team and staff, can be either singular or plural depending on the object of the preposition following.

What kind of noun is percentage?

From Longman Business Dictionaryper‧cen‧tage /pəˈsentɪdʒpər-/ noun [countable, uncountable]1an amount considered as part of a total which is 100percentage ofWhat percentage of sales are generated abroad? Rental companies bought a high percentage of the vehicles sold.

Is the word percentage plural or singular?

Most collective nouns do tend to be invariably singular in American English. Those that, like number, vary according to circumstance include words like percentage and any fraction—one-third (or a third), one-half (or half), two-thirds, etc.

Is the word percent a noun?

I’ll tell you right off that “percent” is neither a countable nor a noncountable noun. “Percent” as a stand-alone word is normally an adjective that means “reckoned on the basis of a whole divided into 100 parts,” meaning that something is one part of a hundred.

Is Percently a word?

Percent is from the Latin adverbial phrase per centum meaning “by the hundred.” The Latin phrase entered English in the 16th century. Later, it was abbreviated per cent. The two-word form per cent is still used occasionally, but its use is diminishing.

Does percent mean 100?

Percent means parts per hundred. The word comes from the Latin phrase per centum, which means per hundred. In mathematics, we use the symbol % for percent. This time the table includes percents.

How do you spell percent in Canada?

The spellings per cent and percent are both correct. The two-word spelling is more common in Canada and Britain, while the one-word spelling is preferred in the United States.

What does this word mean percentage?

1a : a part of a whole expressed in hundredths a high percentage of students attended. b : the result obtained by multiplying a number by a percent the percentage equals the rate times the base. 2a : a share of winnings or profits.

What is 16 out of 100 as a percentage?

16%

What number is 30% of 90?

Answer: 30% of 90 is 27.

How do you understand percentages?

One percent is one hundredth of a whole. It can therefore be written as both a decimal and a fraction. To write a percentage as a decimal, simply divide it by 100. For example, 50% becomes 0.5, 20% becomes 0.2, 1% becomes 0.01 and so on.

What is the formula to find the percentage?

1. How to calculate percentage of a number. Use the percentage formula: P% * X = Y

1. Convert the problem to an equation using the percentage formula: P% * X = Y.
2. P is 10%, X is 150, so the equation is 10% * 150 = Y.
3. Convert 10% to a decimal by removing the percent sign and dividing by 100: 10/100 = 0.10.

How do you teach a percentage of a number?

Multiplying by a Decimal to Find the Percent of a Number If you set up a proportion to find the percent of a number, you’ll always end up dividing by 100 in the end. Another way to get the same answer is to divide by 100 first and then multiply the numbers together. 24/100 = .

What number is 40% of 80?

Latest calculated numbers percentages

40% of 80 = 32	Jun 22 00:11 UTC (GMT)
0.8% of 749 = 5.992	Jun 22 00:11 UTC (GMT)
– 12% of 0.935 = – 0.1122	Jun 22 00:11 UTC (GMT)
– 23% of 23.55 = – 5.4165	Jun 22 00:11 UTC (GMT)
6% of 125,000 = 7,500	Jun 22 00:11 UTC (GMT)

Is part of whole?

We know, a fraction means a part. So, fraction is the part of a whole object. Thus, a fraction is the part of a collection or collections of objects. Thus, a number which is not a whole number is known as a fractional number.

What number is 25% of 60?

Answer: 25% of 60 is 15.

What number is 15% of 60?

Answer: 15% of 60 is 9.

What number is 25% of 80?

Percentage Calculator: What is 25. percent of 80? = 20.

What number is 25% of 52?

Percentage Calculator: What is 25 percent of 52? = 13.

What number is 75% of 52?

Latest calculated numbers percentages

75% of 52 = 39	Jun 22 01:48 UTC (GMT)
1.114% of 2.15 = 0.023951	Jun 22 01:48 UTC (GMT)
1% of 589,500 = 5,895	Jun 22 01:48 UTC (GMT)
7% of 11.5 = 0.805	Jun 22 01:48 UTC (GMT)
62,557% of 100 = 62,557	Jun 22 01:48 UTC (GMT)

What number is 25 percent of 96?

24

What number is 10% of 80?

Percentage Calculator: What is 10 percent of 80? = 8.

What number is 20% of 80?

Percentage Calculator: What is 20. percent of 80? = 16.

What number is 5% of 80?

Percentage Calculator: What is 5 percent of 80? = 4.

What number is 80 percent of 100?

Percentage Calculator: What is 80 percent of 100? = 80.

What number is 50% of 100?

Percentage Calculator: What is 50 percent of 100? = 50.

What number is 90% of 100?

What is 90 percent (calculated percentage %) of number 100? Answer: 90.

What number is 15% of 80?

1 Answer. 12 is 15% of 80 .

«Percent» redirects here. For the symbol, see Percent sign.

«Per cent» redirects here. For the unit of currency, see cent (currency).

In mathematics, a percentage (from Latin per centum ‘by a hundred’) is a number or ratio expressed as a fraction of 100. It is often denoted using the percent sign (%),^[1] although the abbreviations pct., pct, and sometimes pc are also used.^[2] A percentage is a dimensionless number (pure number); it has no unit of measurement.

Examples

For example, 45% (read as «forty-five per cent») is equal to the fraction 45/100, the ratio 45:55 (or 45:100 when comparing to the total rather than the other portion), or 0.45.
Percentages are often used to express a proportionate part of a total.

(Similarly, one can also express a number as a fraction of 1,000, using the term «per mille» or the symbol «‰«.)

Example 1

If 50% of the total number of students in the class are male, that means that 50 out of every 100 students are male. If there are 500 students, then 250 of them are male.

Example 2

An increase of $0.15 on a price of $2.50 is an increase by a fraction of 0.15/2.50 = 0.06. Expressed as a percentage, this is a 6% increase.

While many percentage values are between 0 and 100, there is no mathematical restriction and percentages may take on other values.^[3] For example, it is common to refer to 111% or −35%, especially for percent changes and comparisons.

History

In Ancient Rome, long before the existence of the decimal system, computations were often made in fractions in the multiples of 1/100. For example, Augustus levied a tax of 1/100 on goods sold at auction known as centesima rerum venalium. Computation with these fractions was equivalent to computing percentages.

As denominations of money grew in the Middle Ages, computations with a denominator of 100 became increasingly standard, such that from the late 15th century to the early 16th century, it became common for arithmetic texts to include such computations. Many of these texts applied these methods to profit and loss, interest rates, and the Rule of Three. By the 17th century, it was standard to quote interest rates in hundredths.^[4]

Percent sign

The term «percent» is derived from the Latin per centum, meaning «hundred» or «by the hundred».^[5][6]
The sign for «percent» evolved by gradual contraction of the Italian term per cento, meaning «for a hundred». The «per» was often abbreviated as «p.»—eventually disappeared entirely. The «cento» was contracted to two circles separated by a horizontal line, from which the modern «%» symbol is derived.^[7]

Calculations

The percent value is computed by multiplying the numeric value of the ratio by 100. For example, to find 50 apples as a percentage of 1250 apples, one first computes the ratio 50/1250 = 0.04, and then multiplies by 100 to obtain 4%. The percent value can also be found by multiplying first instead of later, so in this example, the 50 would be multiplied by 100 to give 5,000, and this result would be divided by 1250 to give 4%.

To calculate a percentage of a percentage, convert both percentages to fractions of 100, or to decimals, and multiply them. For example, 50% of 40% is:

50/100 × 40/100 = 0.50 × 0.40 = 0.20 = 20/100 = 20%.

It is not correct to divide by 100 and use the percent sign at the same time; it would literally imply division by 10,000. For example, 25% = 25/100 = 0.25, not 25%/100, which actually is 25⁄100/100 = 0.0025. A term such as 100/100% would also be incorrect, since it would be read as 1 percent, even if the intent was to say 100%.

Whenever communicating about a percentage, it is important to specify what it is relative to (i.e., what is the total that corresponds to 100%). The following problem illustrates this point.

In a certain college 60% of all students are female, and 10% of all students are computer science majors. If 5% of female students are computer science majors, what percentage of computer science majors are female?

We are asked to compute the ratio of female computer science majors to all computer science majors. We know that 60% of all students are female, and among these 5% are computer science majors, so we conclude that 60/100 × 5/100 = 3/100 or 3% of all students are female computer science majors. Dividing this by the 10% of all students that are computer science majors, we arrive at the answer: 3%/10% = 30/100 or 30% of all computer science majors are female.

This example is closely related to the concept of conditional probability.

Variants of the percentage calculation

The calculation of percentages is carried out and taught in different ways depending on the prerequisites and requirements. In this way, the usual formulas can be obtained with proportions, which saves them from having to remember them. In so-called mental arithmetic, the intermediary question is usually asked what 100% or 1% is (corresponds to).

Example:

42 kg is 7%. How much is (corresponds to) 100%?
Given are W (percentage) and p % (percentage).
We are looking for G (basic value).

With general formula	With own ratio equation (Proportion)	With “What is 1%?” (Rule of 3)
multiple rearrangements result in:	simple conversion yields:	without changing the last counter is:
Advantage: • One formula for all tasks	Advantages: • Without a formula • Easy to change over if the size you are looking for — here G — is in the top left of the counter.	Advantages: • Without a formula • Simple rule of three — here as a chain of equations • Application for mental arithmetic

Percentage increase and decrease

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. For example, if an item is initially priced at $200 and the price rises 10% (an increase of $20), the new price will be $220. Note that this final price is 110% of the initial price (100% + 10% = 110%).

Some other examples of percent changes:

• An increase of 100% in a quantity means that the final amount is 200% of the initial amount (100% of initial + 100% of increase = 200% of initial). In other words, the quantity has doubled.
• An increase of 800% means the final amount is 9 times the original (100% + 800% = 900% = 9 times as large).
• A decrease of 60% means the final amount is 40% of the original (100% – 60% = 40%).
• A decrease of 100% means the final amount is zero (100% – 100% = 0%).

In general, a change of x percent in a quantity results in a final amount that is 100 + x percent of the original amount (equivalently, (1 + 0.01x) times the original amount).

Compounding percentages

Percent changes applied sequentially do not add up in the usual way. For example, if the 10% increase in price considered earlier (on the $200 item, raising its price to $220) is followed by a 10% decrease in the price (a decrease of $22), then the final price will be $198—not the original price of $200. The reason for this apparent discrepancy is that the two percent changes (+10% and −10%) are measured relative to different quantities ($200 and $220, respectively), and thus do not «cancel out».

In general, if an increase of x percent is followed by a decrease of x percent, and the initial amount was p, the final amount is p(1 + 0.01x)(1 − 0.01x) = p(1 − (0.01x)²); hence the net change is an overall decrease by x percent of x percent (the square of the original percent change when expressed as a decimal number). Thus, in the above example, after an increase and decrease of x = 10 percent, the final amount, $198, was 10% of 10%, or 1%, less than the initial amount of $200. The net change is the same for a decrease of x percent, followed by an increase of x percent; the final amount is p(1 — 0.01x)(1 + 0.01x) = p(1 − (0.01x)²).

This can be expanded for a case where one does not have the same percent change. If the initial amount p leads to a percent change x, and the second percent change is y, then the final amount is p(1 + 0.01x)(1 + 0.01y). To change the above example, after an increase of x = 10 percent and decrease of y = −5 percent, the final amount, $209, is 4.5% more than the initial amount of $200.

As shown above, percent changes can be applied in any order and have the same effect.

In the case of interest rates, a very common but ambiguous way to say that an interest rate rose from 10% per annum to 15% per annum, for example, is to say that the interest rate increased by 5%, which could theoretically mean that it increased from 10% per annum to 10.05% per annum. It is clearer to say that the interest rate increased by 5 percentage points (pp). The same confusion between the different concepts of percent(age) and percentage points can potentially cause a major misunderstanding when journalists report about election results, for example, expressing both new results and differences with earlier results as percentages. For example, if a party obtains 41% of the vote and this is said to be a 2.5% increase, does that mean the earlier result was 40% (since 41 = 40 × (1 + 2.5/100)) or 38.5% (since 41 = 38.5 + 2.5)?

In financial markets, it is common to refer to an increase of one percentage point (e.g. from 3% per annum to 4% per annum) as an increase of «100 basis points».

Word and symbol

In most forms of English, percent is usually written as two words (per cent), although percentage and percentile are written as one word.^[8] In American English, percent is the most common variant^[9] (but per mille is written as two words).

In the early 20th century, there was a dotted abbreviation form «per cent.«, as opposed to «per cent«. The form «per cent.» is still in use in the highly formal language found in certain documents like commercial loan agreements (particularly those subject to, or inspired by, common law), as well as in the Hansard transcripts of British Parliamentary proceedings. The term has been attributed to Latin per centum.^[10] The concept of considering values as parts of a hundred is originally Greek.^{[citation needed]} The symbol for percent (%) evolved from a symbol abbreviating the Italian per cento. In some other languages, the form procent or prosent is used instead. Some languages use both a word derived from percent and an expression in that language meaning the same thing, e.g. Romanian procent and la sută (thus, 10% can be read or sometimes written ten for [each] hundred, similarly with the English one out of ten). Other abbreviations are rarer, but sometimes seen.

Grammar and style guides often differ as to how percentages are to be written. For instance, it is commonly suggested that the word percent (or per cent) be spelled out in all texts, as in «1 percent» and not «1%». Other guides prefer the word to be written out in humanistic texts, but the symbol to be used in scientific texts. Most guides agree that they always be written with a numeral, as in «5 percent» and not «five percent», the only exception being at the beginning of a sentence: «Ten percent of all writers love style guides.» Decimals are also to be used instead of fractions, as in «3.5 percent of the gain» and not «3+1⁄2 percent of the gain». However the titles of bonds issued by governments and other issuers use the fractional form, e.g. «3+1⁄2% Unsecured Loan Stock 2032 Series 2″. (When interest rates are very low, the number 0 is included if the interest rate is less than 1%, e.g. «0+3⁄4% Treasury Stock», not «3⁄4% Treasury Stock».) It is also widely accepted to use the percent symbol (%) in tabular and graphic material.

In line with common English practice, style guides—such as The Chicago Manual of Style—generally state that the number and percent sign are written without any space in between.^[11]
However, the International System of Units and the ISO 31-0 standard require a space.^[12][13]

Other uses

The word «percentage» is often a misnomer in the context of sports statistics, when the referenced number is expressed as a decimal proportion, not a percentage: «The Phoenix Suns’ Shaquille O’Neal led the NBA with a .609 field goal percentage (FG%) during the 2008–09 season.» (O’Neal made 60.9% of his shots, not 0.609%.) Likewise, the winning percentage of a team, the fraction of matches that the club has won, is also usually expressed as a decimal proportion; a team that has a .500 winning percentage has won 50% of their matches. The practice is probably related to the similar way that batting averages are quoted.

As «percent» it is used to describe the steepness of the slope of a road or railway, formula for which is 100 × rise/run which could also be expressed as the tangent of the angle of inclination times 100. This is the ratio of distances a vehicle would advance vertically and horizontally, respectively, when going up- or downhill, expressed in percent.

Percentage is also used to express composition of a mixture by mass percent and mole percent.

• Percentage point difference of 1 part in 100
• Per mille (‰) 1 part in 1,000
• Basis point (bp) difference of 1 part in 10,000
• Permyriad (‱) 1 part in 10,000
• Per cent mille (pcm) 1 part in 100,000
• Grade (slope)
• Centiturn

Practical applications

• Baker percentage
• Volume percent

See also

• 1000 percent
• Relative change and difference
• Percent difference
• Percentage change
• Parts-per notation
• Per-unit system
• Percent point function

References

External links

• The dictionary definition of percentage at Wiktionary

• #1

In a research report, with many statiscal analyses… would it be more appropriate to say for example 54 % or 54 percent…

I do realise that for numbers under 10, which are rendered in non-digit form one two three etc. one would HAVE to use the word percent…

But for matters of consistency, is there a standard guideline one should stick to. A friend of mine told me that it is a common practice to use percent for the first or introductory lines and later change to % if required.

Guidance to any resources on this would be most appreciated.

Sarah

• #2

If its a reseach report, generally speaking, clarity and readability take priority over stuffy grammar rules.

Use the % sign, but take out the space between it and the number. Including single digit numbers.

54% of the samples tested negative.
5% of the samples tested positive.
2.34% of the samples were lost in the mail.

37% of the 2.34% of the samples (0.874% of all samples) which were lost in the mail, were later recovered.

Grammar be damned, but when I’m reading science I just want the facts and figures.

Just my opinion. We’ll see if the grammerians let me live.

• #3

Thanks !

I tend to think so

• #4

First of all Sarah, ‘per cent’ are two words, not one ‘percent’.
I am from the school of thought that would…

1. Use words not numerics in larager quantities of text. Numerics are very eye-catchy and enhance legibility but that is required only in shorter texts or commercial messages;
2. Maintain consistancy in a document as imp as research report and stick to one of the options throughout the document.

Hope this helps,
Uruj.

• #5

thank you uruj,

well actually i have read that only british english uses the two word format… we’ re going with american english

is there any material i can read on this

• #6

Sarah,

I don’t have a copy with me, but you might wish to look in the Chigaco Manual of Style which usually covers these types of things. The English usage book I happen to have does not (surprisingly) cover the topic, which I find strange.

From a practicality matter, I agree with nycphotography. If it is a paper filled with statistical analyses, then % is much more succinct. You must think of your audience, too. If these are people used to seeing numbers written this way, then it seems to make sense to follow that pattern.

I might also suggest you look at treatise and articles others have written and follow their lead.

• #7

GenJen54 said:

I might also suggest you look at treatise and articles others have written and follow their lead.

This is one case where I disagree. The author is in Pakistan/India, and I personally think that basing style decisions on existing (Indian/Pakistani)works may be a poor choice, because existing works, and the Indian style of mostly British English, tends to be pendantic and obfuscatory to the extreme. Unintentionally, of course.

Even existing British and American works may poor examples, as many of those suffer some of the same ills.

As an IT Professional, I often encounter technical materials from India, and (I hope I can say this without offending) I always groan and look for an alternate American source.

It’s not that I don’t like the BE style in writing. I rather fancy it most of the time. But when reading technical, scientific, math, or statistics, I’m not trying to appreciate the literary value of the work!

It’s hard enough to grasp the material itself! The last thing I want to do is try to parse a sentence to figure out what point someone is trying to make.

I say reject convention, and make a decisive move towards clarity and readability.

Now that I’ve probably offended everyone (although I can assure you I intend no disrespect)… all I can really say is that I’m just offering my own honest opinion, as a frequent consumer of technical materials.

• #8

I have no reference for this view, which I think is consistent with NYC’s

The convention of using written out words for one, two, three …. relates only to non-scientific texts. In any kind of scientific text, this usage would be regarded as somewhat eccentric — or, to be frank, wrong.

I would be amazed to see a statistical report that talked about «…one percent …». That simply would not happen.

A scientific paper (even in BE ) should use standard scientific notation. That will insist on 1%, or 1.0% or similar.

• #9

Just use the %… it’s so much easier for the reader and is written exactly the same in all countries! So I say just go for it…

• #10

«Percentages are always given in numerals. In humanistic copy the word percent is used; in scientific and statistical copy, or in humanistic copy that includes numerous percentage figures, the symbol % is more appropriate.

Only 45 percent of the electorate voted.
With 90-95 percent of the work complete, we can relax.
A 75 percent likelihood of winning is worth the effort.
Only 20% of the ants were observed to react to the stimulus.
The treatment resulted in a 10%-15% reduction in discomfort.»

Chicago Manuel of Style 9.19

• #11

The convention of using written out words for one, two, three …. relates only to non-scientific texts. In any kind of scientific text, this usage would be regarded as somewhat eccentric — or, to be frank, wrong.

I would be amazed to see a statistical report that talked about «…one percent …». That simply would not happen.

A scientific paper (even in BE ) should use standard scientific notation. That will insist on 1%, or 1.0% or similar.

I’m still a little confused, would you please check my understanding and questions below:

1. For numbers under 10, «3%» are OK, but «three percent» is wrong except it starts a sentence. What about «3 percent»?

2. For numbers above 10, «23%» are OK; «twenty-three percent» should be avoided except it starts a sentence. What about «23 percent»?

• #12

Are you looking at a style manual? Some style manuals do not allow you to start a sentence with an Arabic numeral. (Another old style manual says all numbers under 10 should be spelt out.) This style says, ‘Ignore the «spell out the under-10 numbers» rule’, but follow the rule about not starting a sentence with an Arabic number.

It’s also suggesting that if you use an Arabic numeral, use the percentage symbol; if you spell out the number, spell out ‘per cent’ as well.

• #13

Are you looking at a style manual?

No, I’m just confused when «%» and «percent» go with a word or a number.

It’s also suggesting that if you use an Arabic numeral, use the percentage symbol; if you spell out the number, spell out ‘per cent’ as well.

Can I understand it this way?

1. In the middle of a sentence, «3%», «23%», «three percent», «twenty-three percent» are all OK, but «3 percent» and «23 percent» are not OK, right?

2.When starting a sentence, «three percent» and «twenty-three percent» should be used, right?

‘Ignore the «spell out the under-10 numbers» rule’, …

Does the red part suggest we can write 1,2,3..9 in some situations, like 3% and 8 meters. But in most case we need to write «one, two, three, …nine», right?

• #14

[Please note that this post and the following ones have been added to a previous thread covering the same topic. Please read down from the top. DonnyB — moderator]
Hi,

I’ve read previous threads about «percent» and «%», and I want to confirm if the following understanding is correct:

1. In the middle of a sentence, «3% (i.e. under-10)», «23% (i.e. over-10)», «three percent», «twenty-three percent» are all OK, but «3 percent» and «23 percent» are not OK, right?

2.When starting a sentence, «three percent» and «twenty-three percent» should be used, right?

Thanks in advance!

Last edited by a moderator: Jan 14, 2019

• #15

I wouldn’t agree with the first point. There’s nothing wrong with mixing forms and writing 23 per cent (or 23 percent). There are two principles guiding the choice of words or digit: we don’t begin a sentence with digits, and we usually write small numbers as words. So three is preferable to 3, anywhere in a sentence, if it’s not in a combination like 3 kg or 3%. If 3% occurs at the beginning you need to spell it out with ‘Three’, and in that case you then need to spell out ‘per cent’/’percent’ too. (Obviously we never write things like three%.)

• #16

Traditionally, per cent is formally written as two words in BE and as one word (percent) in AE. But in practice, I think, the one-word version is much the more common. Re whether or not you write figures out in full, again in a formal document there would normally be a house style to follow. A common practice is to write out single-figure numbers only, and of course those at the beginning of a sentence.

• #17

if it’s not in a combination like 3 kg or 3%

What about writing out the unit/symbol?
Are they all acceptable in common practice: 3 kilogram, three kilogram, 3 percent, three percent?

• #18

If I ever had cause to begin a sentence with a percentage, in a document where percentages were written in numerals, then I would have no hesitation in beginning a sentence with something like «5%».

While I generally agree with writing out small numbers in full and only using numerals for larger numbers in most pieces of writing, this only really applies to quantifiers such as «three apples» or «125 bags of gold». As soon as you move on to percentages, currency or measurements, then consistency becomes more important.

I dislike mixing numerals with units of measurement, currency or percent written out in full. If there is a particular reason to do this, then fine (perhaps you don’t have the currency symbol on your keyboard), but as a general rule I would write «five percent» or «5%», «five pounds», «5 lb» or «£5», not «5 percent», «five %», «5 pounds», «£ five», «five £» or «five lb».

• #19

Not 5 percent? Whyever not?

• #20

Why? If I can be bothered to write out percent, I am sure I can also type «five».

I think there are two answers I can give. The first only applies to percentages, since 5% is really a number, which can be written as «0.05» or «1/20«. I don’t think anyone would dream of writing this as «nought point nought 5», «0 point 05», «1 twentieth», «one 20th» or any other combination of words and digits. Why then should we do this for percentages.

The second answer is the distinction between discrete and continuous quantities. A number with a written word makes it appear, to me at any rate, that there are that number of the things, which can be counted. Using a symbol or abbreviation shows it to be a continuous measure, that you cannot count five «percents», or five metres for that matter. Of course, if you write the number out in words as well as «percent», «metres», «pounds» or whatever it is, you lose this distinction, but at least there isn’t then a disparity between how the number and the unit of measurement are expressed.

However, I admit this is personal preference of style. I have just taken a look at the Guardian style guide to see what they say and, although they insist on «%» instead of «per cent» or «percent», immediately below is listed an unavoidable exception to what I have just written:

percentage rises
seem to give us a lot of problems: an increase from 3% to 5% is a 2 percentage point increase or a 2-point increase, not a 2% increase; any sentence saying “such and such rose or fell by X%” should be considered and checked carefully​

«Point» and «percentage point» are of course continuous quantities, but they do not have an accepted symbol or abbreviation, so they need to be written out in full.

• #21

Background: the following is about numbers in a sentence, not those starting a sentence.

1. Both «2%» and «23%» are OK since no one writes «two%» and «twenty-three%».

2. According to the common practice to write out single-figure numbers only, both «two percent» and «»23 percent» are OK, but both «2 percent» and «twenty-three percent» are not.

• However, based on previous discussions, «2 percent» is also possible for some people. Then I wonder if such a common practice does not apply to «2 percent«, that is, «2 + units of measurement, currency or percent written out in full».
• Is «twenty-three percent» also possible? But I should avoid it just because it is too lengthy?

3. Will you write «one million dollars» or «1 million dollars»? I think «one million dollars» is right but «one million» is a large number.

percentage rises
seem to give us a lot of problems: an increase from 3% to 5% is a 2 percentage point increase or a 2-point increase, not a 2% increase; any sentence saying “such and such rose or fell by X%” should be considered and checked carefully

4. Does that mean I should write «the number of visitors rose by 2 percentage point this year over the same period last year» instead of «…by 2% point…»? I’ve seen a lot of numbers like «rise by 2%», but few «by 2 percentage point».

• #22

Is «twenty-three percent» also possible?

Definitely. Numbers written out in full only become awkward in ordinary text when they are over a hundred (and aren’t some nice round number like «seventeen thousand»). «Seventy-eight» is fine written out in full; «four hundred and thirty-six» is rather long.

4. Does that mean I should write «the number of visitors rose by 2 percentage point this year over the same period last year» instead of «…by 2% point…»? I’ve seen a lot of numbers like «rise by 2%», but few «by 2 percentage point».

This is not the thread to discuss this. Here are some other threads about «percent»/»percentage point»:

You should note that my quote in post #20 is from a British newspaper, where accurate and unambiguous presentation of statistics is important. In other contexts, usage may be different (as you will see from the other threads).

• #23

Guidance from my 1993 edition of the Chicago Manual of Style:

8.17 Percentages and decimal fractions (including academic grades) are set in numerals in humanistic as well as scientific copy:

For these purposes pi will be considered equal to 3.14.
Grades of 3.8 and 95 are identical.
Only 45 percent of the electorate voted.​

8.18 In scientific and statistical copy use the symbol % for a percentage; in humanistic copy, the word percent.

Style guides differ considerably on the best way to express a percentage such as ten percent. To make matters even fuzzier, some of them have different advice depending on whether the term appears in running text or in a special element (such as a table) and depending on whether the subject of the text is general or heavily scientific or statistical. Here is a quick survey of different style guide advice on how to render percentages.

From The Chicago Manual of Style, sixteenth edition (2010):

9.18 Percentages. Except at the beginning of a sentence, percentages are usually expressed in numerals. In nontechnical contexts, the word percent is usually used; in scientific and statistical copy, the symbol % is more common.

Fewer than 3 percent of the employees used public transportation.

With 90–95 percent of the wok complete, we can relax.

A 75 percent likelihood of winning is worth the effort.

Her five-year certificate of deposit carries an interest rare of 5.9 percent.

Only 20% of the ants were observed to react to the stimulus.

The treatment resulted in a 20%–25% increase in reports of night blindness.

Note that percent, an adverb, is not interchangeable with the noun percentage (1 percent is a very small percentage). Note also that no space appears between the numeral and the symbol %.

As its examples show, Chicago endorses «10 percent» in most general-text situations, «Ten percent» at the beginning of a general-text sentence, and «10%» in scientific and technical text. Chicago doesn’t address how to handle «10%» if that term were to appear at the beginning of a sentence in a scientific or statistical text, but I imagine that it would advise you to use «Ten percent,» with the further proviso that you should recast the sentence to avoid putting the percentage term at the beginning if the spelled-out form seemed excessively awkward (that is, it would recommend changing «Ninety-seven point three percent of survey respondents said…» to something like «In the survey, 97.3% of respondents said…»).

From Margery Fee & Janice McAlpine, [Oxford] Guide to Canadian English Usage, second edition (2007):

percentage, per cent, percent Percentage is always one word. Canadians prefer the two-word spelling of per cent, although the single-word spelling is also common. British dictionaries list per cent first, American dictionaries percent.

Per cent is followed by either a single or a plural verb form, depending on the related noun: ‘Fifteen per cent of the total is added to the bill for service’ or ‘Only twenty per cent of the students are going to pass the test’.

The per cent symbol (%) is used only with figures: ‘8%’.

The examples suggest that Fee & McAlpine would support one or the other of the options «ten per cent» or «10%,» depending on context; and they explicitly reject use of the mixed form «ten %.» However, the mixed form «10 per cent» goes unmentioned.

From The Associated Press Stylebook (2007):

percent One word. It take a singular verb when standing alone or when a singular word follows an of construction: The teacher said 60 percent as a failing grade. He said 50 percent of the membership was there.

It takes a plural verb when a plural word follows an of construction: He said 50 percent of the members were there.

Use figures: 1 percent, 2.5 percent (use decimals, not fractions), 10 percent.

AP evidently opposes use of the percentage symbol under any circumstances and allows only the form «10 percent.»

From Bryan Garner, Garner’s Modern American Usage, second edition (2003):

percent; per-cent; per cent; percent.; per centum. This sequence illustrates in reverse the evolution of this word, originally a phrase. Today it is best spelled as a single word. The plural of percent is percent; adding an -s, though not uncommon, is substandard.

In most writing, 75% is easier to read than 75 percent or (worse yet) seventy-five percent. Prefer the percentage sign when you can. Many styles, however, insist on spelling out percent.

…

…Writers must be careful with percentages and percentage points. For example, if the unemployment rate rises from 4% to 6%, both of these statements are true: Unemployment is up two percentage points, and Unemployment is up 50%.

Garner’s is the only reference work I consulted that strongly recommends expressing percentages in the form «10%,» regardless of the type of text one is dealing with.

The Oxford Guide to Style (2002) takes three swings at the subject:

3.2 Usage

Abbreviations in running text

Prefer nineteenth century to 19th cent., and 25 per cent (two words, no point) to 25% in text; rules for notes and tabular or parenthetical matter differ.

…

7.8 Statistical texts

…

The symbol %, rather than the spelt-out per cent, is permissible in text as well as in peripheral matter such as tables, notes, parenthetical material, and captions.

…

13.9.1 Use of scientific style [in the social sciences]

Since social science as a discipline resides somewhere between the arts and the ‘hard’ sciences, a decision must be made for each typescript whether a scientific style should be followed in presenting the text and references. The higher the level of statistical material—as evidenced in economics, econometrics, demography, geography, and the like—the more appropriate scientific style becomes. In text this usually manifests itself in such matters as spelling out numbers up to ten only (rather than up to on hundred), and using % rather than per cent.

Oxford’s scattershot coverage—and lack of relevant examples—might lead one to suppose that it countenances «ten %» in scientific texts; but I suspect that the juxtaposition of «spelling out numbers up to ten only» and «using % rather than ‘per cent'» is an unfortunate accident, not a recommendation to use «ten %» in social science texts. The only example relevant I could find in this style guide involves parenthetical use of «74%» and «26%» in statistical texts—which doesn’t address the specific case of «ten per cent» (Oxford does say that «Figures in scientific and technical work are usually spelt out up to nine,» which would be a vote for «10%,» but that doesn’t help its users figure out how to handle, for example, «nine per cent»).

From Allan Siegal & William Connolly, The New York Times Manual of Style and Usage, revised edition (1999):

percent, percentage. Percent is one word. The preceding number is always expressed in figures (except where it begins a sentence): 80 percent; 8 percent; one-half of 1 percent; four-fifths of 1 percent; 0.5 percent. But: five percentage points; 12 percentage points. The symbol % may be used with a figure in headlines, tables and charts: 5% Raise; 93%. Do not use the abbreviation pct.

As this guideline indicates, the New York Times follows the usual U.S. style guide preference for «10 percent» in running text and «10%» in special matter (such as tables and headlines).

From Joseph Gibaldi, MLA Style Manual, second edition (1998):

3.10.4 Percentages and Amounts of Money

Treat percentages and amounts of money like other numbers: use numerals with the appropriate symbols.

[Relevant examples;] 1%[;] 45%[;] 100%

In discussions involving infrequent use of numbers you may spell out a percentage or an amount of money if you can do so in three words or fewer (five dollars, forty-five percent, two thousand dollars, sixty-eight cents). Do no combine spelled forms of numbers with symbols.

MLA thus explicitly rejects spelled-out numbers and the percentage symbol (such as «ten %»).

From Words into Type, third edition (1974):

Percentage. In literary works percentage numbers are spelled out: «fifty percent.» In technical and scientific writing, numerals always precede the word percent, with the single exception that isolated references one percent may be spelled out. In statistical material and where other numerals appear frequently with abbreviations in scientific copy, the percent sign (%) may be used in text matter. Always use the sign (%) in tables, and never use a fraction before the word percent or the percent sign.

10 percent[;] 2.25 percent, not 2¼ percent[;] 12.3 percent[;] 0.5 percent, not ½ of 1 percent

Words into Type is considerably older than the other style guides I’ve cited here. It endorses the spelled-out form «ten percent» in what it calls «literary works,» but insists on «10 percent» in technical and scientific copy and on «10%» in tables.

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Conclusion

As the preceding excerpts indicate, style guides are all over the map in their preferred formatting for percentages. Depending on where you live, what your subject matter is, and which style guide you follow, you may find that the recommended form is «ten per cent,» «ten percent,» «10 percent,» or «10%.» I could not, however, find any style guide that explicitly endorsed the form «ten %.»

Say you own 34 shirts, but 33 of them are too small. You want to find out what portion of your shirts are too small, so you divide 33 by 34 to get 0.97. You subsequently move the decimal two places to the right to arrive at 97 and attach the % symbol.

You have now calculated that precisely 97% of your shirts are too small. It’s time to go shopping, or to eat fewer cheeseburgers.

When writing about numbers, stylistics sometimes dictates that mathematical symbols be written out in word form. This can be cumbersome, and in some instances actually makes text more difficult to read.

Nonetheless, there are situations in which you may be required to avoid symbols like the % sign and instead express that concept in the form of words.

Should you use two words, as in per cent, or shorten two words to one, to form percent?

Continue reading to find out.

What is the Difference Between Per cent and Percent?

In this article, I will compare per cent vs. percent. I will use each in a sentence, so you can see how they are properly uses, and, at the end, I will discuss a useful trick to decide whether you should use percent or per cent in your writing.

When to Use Percent

What does percent mean? Per cent and percent are variants of the word that describes one part of a hundred.

In American English, the single word variant is standard.

You could use it like this,

• Ninety-seven percent of my shirts are too small.
• According to recent data, Coca-Cola owns greater than 17 percent of the soft drink market, followed by Diet Coke at nearly ten percent, and trailed by Pepsi, at just under nine percent.
• Nearly 94 percent of districts and around 84 percent of public schools in Texas met minimum education standards, officials announced Monday, in the final incarnation of an academic rating system that next year will be replaced with letter grades between A and F. –ABC News

When to Use Per Cent

What does per cent mean? Per cent is preferred in British English. It can be used in all the same contexts as percent.

• At its peak, Mir mine produced on average two million carats of rough diamonds a year, worth at least £20million, and with nearby mines was responsible for 23 per cent of the world’s rough diamonds. –Daily Mail

It should be noted, however, that the word cent, in many nations, denotes a denomination of currency. If you were referring to individual cents and the quantity of goods to be exchanged for each one, you would use per cent.

For example,

• If Wendy buys one ton of wheat, she could buy it at a price of 3 ounces per cent.

In other words, Wendy gets 3 ounces of wheat for every cent.

This scenario is an extreme outlier, but it illustrates one of the difficulties of writing mathematical symbols in word form, which is a standard convention in most formal writing.

It is much more common to write out percent than to include a percent sign, % , be it in books, newspapers, or magazines.

Technical books or mathematical books are an obvious exception.

Why the Difference in Spelling?

Some of you might be wondering why British writers separate the word in two to begin with. What is the point of breaking the word apart?

While it’s not commonly known among younger writes, the spellings percent and per cent are both abbreviations for the Early English spelling per centum.

So, British writers aren’t separating the word; American writers are conjoining it.

The evolution of the word through English has taken these forms Per Centum > Per Cent. > Per Cent > Percent.

Trick to Remember the Difference

Here is a trick to remember per cent vs. percent for your writing.

If you are in a situation where you need to write out the words percent or per cent, use percent with American audiences and per cent with British audiences.

You can remember to use per cent with British audiences since British currency uses pence instead of cents, so Britons avoid the possible confusion when buying commodity goods.

Summary

Is it percent or per cent? Per cent and percent are two ways of describing the symbol %, which refers to one part in a hundred.

• Per cent is the preferred British spelling.
• Percent is the spelling preferred in American English.

You can remember to use per cent for British audiences since they denominate their currency into pence, rather than cents, so they are less likely to be confused.

The words percent and percentage are closely related—does it matter how they
are used in a sentence? Read this word usage tip to find out.

The rule for using percent and percentage is straightforward. The word percent (or the
symbol %) accompanies a specific number, whereas the more general word percentage is used without
a number.

Examples

percent (adverb, noun): of each hundred

Example

Fifteen percent of the control group responded to treatment with Drug A.

Example

More than 95% of the participants who responded to the survey reported positive results.

percentage (noun): part of a whole that can be expressed in
hundredths

Example

A large percentage of the population has been exposed to rotavirus.

Example

The percentage of the population exposed to rotavirus is between 70% and 75%.

Quick Tips: Percent vs Percentage

1. Always write out the number and the word percent at the beginning of a sentence (eg, «Ten
   percent…»).
2. The noun percentage requires an adjective to describe its size (eg, «a large percentage») when it does
   not refer to specific numbers in the sentence.
3. Some style guides recommend a numeral and the symbol % rather than the word percent, even if the
   number is less than 10 (eg, «A total of 5%…»).

Sources

Iverson C, Christiansen S, Flanagin A, et al. AMA Manual of Style:
A Guide for Authors and Editors. 10th ed. New York, NY: Oxford University Press; 2007.

Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary. 11th ed. Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, Inc.; 2007.

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