B1 2K

Percent

UK //pəˈsɛnt// US //pərˈsɛnt// Pronunciation

Definition

A proportion or ratio expressed as a fraction of 100.

Listen to definition

In simple words: A part of a whole, shown as a fraction out of 100.

Examples

• She received a 15 percent discount on her purchase.
• Only 25 percent of the students passed the exam.
• The population increased by 10 percent last year.

Usage notes

Commonly used in mathematics, business, and statistics. Not usually used in casual conversation without context.

Grammar pattern

percent + of + quantity

Memory hint

Think of 'percent' as 'per 100', imagine dividing a pizza into 100 slices.

Collocations

• percent off
• percent increase
• percent of total
• percent change
• percent rate

Synonyms

• proportion
• fraction
• ratio
• part
• share

Antonyms

• whole
• entire
• total

Common mistakes

• Confused with 'percentage' — remember 'percent' is always out of 100.
• Using 'percent' without a number — it needs to quantify something.
• Mixing up 'percent' with 'per cent' — both are correct, but usage may vary by region.