Cool MatePercentage vs Share
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Percentage
Top 1,000 (very common)B1noun
Share
Top 1,000 (very common)A1verb
| Percentage | Share | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/pəˈsentɪdʒ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/pərˈsentɪdʒ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/ʃeə(r)/","/ʃeəz/","/ʃeəd/","/ˈʃeərɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ʃer/","/ʃerz/","/ʃerd/","/ˈʃerɪŋ/"]/ |
| Meaning | A part of a whole expressed in hundredths. | To let someone use or have part of something that you have. |
| Example | The percentage of students passing the exam has increased this year. | I will share my toys with my friends. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | B1 | A1 |
| Part of speech | noun | verb |
| Collocations | considerable, high, huge, calculate, determine, estimate, decline, decrease, drop, point, rate, figure, percentage of, in percentage terms, on a percentage basis, considerable, high, huge, calculate, determine, estimate, decline, decrease, drop, point, rate, figure, percentage of, in percentage terms, on a percentage basis | fully, equally, broadly, want to, would like to, be prepared to, among, between, in, widely shared, fully, equally, broadly, want to, would like to, be prepared to, among, between, in, widely shared, fully, equally, broadly, want to, would like to, be prepared to, among, between, in, widely shared |
| Antonyms | whole, total | hoard, keep, withhold |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'percent' — remember 'percentage' is used for a specific quantity., 'Percentage' is often misused as a countable noun; it's usually uncountable., 'Percentage' can be incorrectly pluralized as 'percentages' when not necessary. | Using 'share' without an object (e.g., saying 'I will share' instead of 'I will share my lunch'), Confusing 'share' with 'sharpen', Incorrectly using 'share' as a noun rather than a verb (e.g., saying 'the share of the book' instead of 'the sharing of the book') |
| Usage notes | Used in math, finance, and statistics to describe a fraction of a total. Avoid in casual conversation where simpler terms like 'part' might be more understandable. | Use 'share' when talking about dividing resources or experiences. It's appropriate in both spoken and written English. Avoid in very formal contexts where more specific terms may be required. |
Frequently asked questions: Percentage vs Share
What's the difference between Percentage and Share?
Percentage: A part of a whole expressed in hundredths. Share: To let someone use or have part of something that you have.
Are Percentage and Share the same CEFR level?
Percentage: B1, Share: A1 on the CEFR scale.
Can I use Percentage and Share interchangeably?
Not always. Percentage and Share are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.