This is a rough guide to what words you might use to describe a percentage between 0% and 100%. It is very much a work in progress.
Get in touch if you think there’s anything wrong or you’d like to make a suggestion.
Note: all “X in Y” formats could be X in a hundred. Some can be simplified to lower base numbers, for example X in fifty, or X in ten. The column for that format gives these.
PERCENTAGES TO WORDS (DRAFT)
| Percentage | “X in Y” format | Possible phrase |
| 0.0% | None in a hundred | None |
| 1.0% | One in a hundred | One in a hundred |
| 2.0% | One in fifty | One in fifty |
| 3.0% | Three in a hundred | Three in a hundred |
| 4.0% | One in twenty five | One in twenty five |
| One twentieth: 5% exactly |
One in twenty | One in twenty |
| 6.0% | Three in fifty | Three in fifty |
| 7.0% | Seven in a hundred | Seven in a hundred |
| 8.0% | Two in twenty five | A little under one-twelfth |
| 9.0% | Nine in a hundred | Not much less than one in ten |
| One tenth: 10% exactly |
One in ten | A tenth |
| 11.0% | Eleven in a hundred | Just under one in nine; Not much more than one-tenth |
| One ninth: 11.111111….% |
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| 12.0% | Three in twenty five | A little under an eighth |
| One eighth: 12.5% exactly |
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| 13.0% | Thirteen in a hundred | A little over an eighth |
| 14.0% | Seven in fifty | Nearly a seventh |
| One seventh: 14.285714..% |
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| 15.0% | Three in twenty | A little over a seventh |
| 16.0% | Four in twenty five | A little under a sixth |
| One sixth: 16.666666..% |
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| 17.0% | Seventeen in a hundred | Just over a sixth |
| 18.0% | Nine in fifty | A little over a sixth |
| 19.0% | Nineteen in a hundred | Nearly a fifth |
| One fifth: 20% exactly |
One in five | A fifth |
| 21.0% | Twenty one in a hundred | Just over a fifth |
| 22.0% | Eleven in fifty | A little over a fifth |
| 23.0% | Twenty three in a hundred | A little under a quarter; nearly a quarter |
| 24.0% | Six in twenty five | Nearly a quarter |
| One quarter: 25% exactly |
One in four | One quarter |
| 26.0% | Thirteen in fifty | About a quarter; just over a quarter |
| 27.0% | Twenty seven in a hundred | A little more than a quarter |
| 28.0% | Seven in twenty five | Quite a bit more than a quarter; nearly three in ten |
| 29.0% | Twenty nine in a hundred | Nearly three in ten; somewhat less than a third |
| 30.0% | Three in ten | Somewhat less than a third |
| 31.0% | Thirty one in a hundred | A little less than a third |
| 32.0% | Eight in twenty five | Close to a third |
| 33.0% | Thirty three in a hundred | Nearly a third |
| One third: 33.3333333..% |
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| 34.0% | Seventeen in fifty | Just over a third; A third |
| 35.0% | Seven in twenty | A little more than a third |
| 36.0% | Nine in twenty five | Somewhat more than a third |
| 37.0% | Thirty seven in a hundred | Quite a bit more than a third |
| 38.0% | Nineteen in fifty | Not much less than two-fifths |
| 39.0% | Thirty nine in a hundred | Nearly two-fifths |
| Two fifths: 40.0% exactly |
Two in five | Two fifths |
| 41.0% | Forty one in a hundred | Just over two-fifths |
| 42.0% | Twenty one in fifty | A little over two-fifths |
| 43.0% | Forty three in a hundred | Somewhat more than two-fifths |
| 44.0% | Eleven in twenty five | Somewhat more than two-fifths |
| 45.0% | Nine in twenty | Somewhat less than half; somewhat more than two-fifths |
| 46.0% | Twenty three in fifty | Some what less than half |
| 47.0% | Forty seven in a hundred | Reasonably close to a half |
| 48.0% | Twelve in twenty five | Close to a half |
| 49.0% | Forty nine in a hundred | Nearly a half |
| One half: 50% exactly |
One in two | One half |
| 51.0% | Fifty one in a hundred | Just over a half |
| 52.0% | Thirteen in twenty five | Just a little more than a half; a majority by a small margin |
| 53.0% | Fifty three in a hundred | A little more than a half; a majority by a small margin |
| 54.0% | Twenty seven in fifty | A little more than a half; a majority by a small margin |
| 55.0% | Eleven in twenty | Quite a bit more than a half |
| 56.0% | Fourteen in twenty five | Quite a bit more than a half |
| 57.0% | Fifty seven in a hundred | Quite a bit more than a half; closing in on three-fifths |
| 58.0% | Twenty nine in fifty | Close to three-fifths |
| 59.0% | Fifty nine in a hundred | Nearly three-fifths |
| Three fifths: 60% exactly |
Three in five | Three fifths |
| 61.0% | Sixty one in a hundred | Just over three fifths |
| 62.0% | Thirty one in fifty | A little over three-fifths |
| 63.0% | Sixty three in a hundred | A little over three-fifths |
| 64.0% | Sixteen in twenty five | Fairly close to two-thirds |
| 65.0% | Thirteen in twenty | Close to two-thirds |
| 66.0% | Thirty three in fifty | Nearly two-thirds |
| Two thirds: 66.666666..% |
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| 67.0% | Sixty seven in a hundred | Just over two-thirds |
| 68.0% | Seventeen in twenty five | A little over two-thirds |
| 69.0% | Sixty nine in a hundred | A little over two-thirds |
| Seven tenths: 70.0% exactly |
Seven in ten | Seven-tenths; somewhat more than two-thirds |
| 71.0% | Seventy one in a hundred | Somewhat more than two-thirds; somewhat less than three-quarters |
| 72.0% | Eighteen in twenty five | Fairly close to three-quarters |
| 73.0% | Seventy three in a hundred | Close to three-quarters |
| 74.0% | Thirty seven in fifty | Nearly three quarters |
| Three quarters: 75% exactly | Three in four | Three quarters |
| 76.0% | Nineteen in twenty five | A little over three-quarters; roughly three-quarters |
| 77.0% | Seventy seven in a hundred | A little over three-quarters; roughly three-quarters |
| 78.0% | Thirty nine in fifty | Somewhat more than three-quarters; nearly four-fifths |
| 79.0% | Seventy nine in a hundred | Nearly four-fifths |
| Four fifths: 80% exactly |
Four in five | Four fifths; quite a bit more than three quarters |
| 81.0% | Eighty one in a hundred | Just over four-fifths |
| 82.0% | Forty one in fifty | A little over four-fifths |
| 83.0% | Eighty three in a hundred | A little over four-fifths |
| 84.0% | Twenty one in twenty five | Somewhat more than four-fifths |
| 85.0% | Seventeen in twenty | Somewhat more than four-fifths |
| 86.0% | Forty three in fifty | Not much less than nine out of ten |
| 87.0% | Eighty seven in a hundred | Not much less than nine out of ten |
| 88.0% | Twenty two in twenty five | Nearing nine out of ten |
| 89.0% | Eighty nine in a hundred | Very nearly nine out of ten |
| Nine tenths: 90% exactly |
Nine in ten | Nine tenths |
| 91.0% | Ninety one in a hundred | Just a little more than nine out of ten |
| 92.0% | Forty six in fifty | Just a little more than nine out of ten |
| 93.0% | Ninety three in a hundred | Somewhat more than nine out of ten |
| 94.0% | Forty seven in fifty | Somewhat more than nine out of ten |
| 95.0% | Nineteen in twenty | Somewhat more than nine out of ten |
| 96.0% | Twenty four in twenty five | Reasonably close to all |
| 97.0% | Ninety seven in a hundred | Reasonably close to all |
| 98.0% | Forty nine in fifty | Nearly all |
| 99.0% | Ninety nine in a hundred | Very nearly all |
| 100.0% | All | All |
| Last update: | 05 November 2014 |
