In this post: prepositions with numbers (by, to, at, from … to, between … and), percentage points, and subject-verb agreement with the number of, the percentage of and the figure for.
Task 1 Grammar · 5 parts
- 1. Six grammar groups and tenses
- 2. Comparisons and the passive
- 3. Relative and participle clauses
- 4. Numbers and agreement (you are here)
- 5. Rewrites, checklist and practice
✦ In this post
6. Numbers and prepositions: by, to, at, from … to
The basic table of number prepositions (rise to, rise by, stand at, peak at) is in the trend charts post. Here I add two finer distinctions and the prepositions I actually got wrong.
a rise of 5% vs a rise to 5%
| Pattern | Meaning | Example (my examples) |
|---|---|---|
| rose by 5 percentage points | The size of the increase (amount) | Spending in Country A rose by 3 percentage points. |
| rose to 13% | The end point after the increase (position) | Spending in the UK rose to 13% in 2000. |
| a rise of 5% | Noun + size | There was a rise of 5% in sales. |
| a rise to 13% | Noun + end point | There was a rise to 13% in 2000. |
| a 6% rise / a rise of 6% | The number used as an adjective (singular, no s) | Nickel began the year with a 6% rise. |
| stood at / was at 20% | The position at one point in time | Spending in Portugal stood at 20% in 2005. |
| from 27% to 20% | Start point to end point | Spending in Portugal fell from 27% to 20%. |
| between 31 and 38 | Within a range | The figure fluctuated between 31 and 38. |
One detail many people overlook: a change in a percentage is measured in percentage points. Portugal’s share of spending on roads fell from 27% to 20%, which is a drop of 7 percentage points, not 7% (7% of 27 is only 1.9). If you are worried about getting this wrong in the exam, the safest approach is to give the start and end points: fell from 27% to 20%.
My own sentences: prepositions and numbers
✓ Good: Beginning with roughly 22% and 10%, respectively, in 1990, the figure for Italia and the UK both dropped slightly in 1995 but peaked in 2000 …
(Task 40) Beginning with … in 1990 gives both countries’ starting points, and peaked in 2000 correctly uses in with a year.
✓ Good: In terms of Switzerland and Denmark, both of them showed a dramatic upward trend, from 1 million to 5.5 million and from 0.6 million to 4 million, respectively.
(Task 24) Two from … to … pairs with respectively, and the figures are in the same order as the countries.
✗ Original: The number of martial arts, at the same time, fluctuated between roughly 31 to 38.
→ Revised: Meanwhile, the number of participants in martial arts fluctuated between roughly 31 and 38.
(Task 29) between goes with and, and from goes with to; they cannot be mixed. The same essay also has at that year → in that year.
✗ Original: Domestic emission, which steadily decreased, remained the least sources of emissions until 2007 in 0.2 million.
→ Revised: Domestic emissions decreased steadily and remained the lowest throughout, ending at 0.2 million tonnes in 2007.
(Task 36) Use at before a figure, not in; use in before a year. the least sources → the lowest.
✗ Original: As regards Nickel, it began at 6% increase in January …
→ Revised: Nickel began the year with a 6% rise in price in January …
(Task 8) This chart shows the monthly rate of change, so 6% is the size of the increase, not the price level. began at 6% makes it sound as if the price itself was 6%.
✗ Original: The table compares the response of satisfactory regarding schools’ facilities in a British university over the year 2008.
→ Revised: The table shows how satisfied students at a British university were with its facilities in 2008.
(Task 47) There is only one year, so write in 2008; over the period is for a span of time. Also keep satisfactory (good enough) and satisfaction (how satisfied people are) apart.
✗ Original: As for the length of underground railway, with the figure for 394 kilometers and 199 kilometers, …
→ Revised: In terms of length, the London and Paris systems were the longest, at 394 and 199 kilometres respectively.
(Task 22) with the figure for + number was a faulty pattern I used a lot. The correct form is with figures of …, but the simplest option is just at + number. Tasks 42 and 44 contain the same with the figure for.
| Small number slips | Original | Correction |
|---|---|---|
| No s on million after a number | 20.5 millions (Task 5) | 20.5 million |
| Adjective vs adverb | decreased slight (Task 5); a steadily growth (Task 28); a slightly amount (Task 42) | decreased slightly; steady growth; a small amount |
| Large numbers | more than 1000 million passengers (Task 22) | over one billion passengers |
| Position of by far | increased by far (trial essay 2) | by far the largest (it only modifies superlatives) |
7. Subject–verb agreement: the number of, the percentage of
Subject–verb agreement goes wrong in Task 2 as well, and section 6 of IELTS Writing Grammar Mistakes explains it in full. What is special about Task 1 is that the subject is almost always a long noun phrase such as the number of …, the percentage of … or the figure for …. The head noun comes first, and the long of phrase after it makes it easy to misjudge singular and plural.
| Subject | Verb | Example |
|---|---|---|
| the number of + plural noun | Singular | The number of participants has increased. |
| a number of + plural noun | Plural | A number of new facilities have been built. |
| the percentage / proportion of + noun | Singular | The percentage of students was the lowest. |
| the figure for + noun | Singular (use figures for two numbers) | The figures for both groups were above 85%. |
| Fraction / percentage + of + uncountable noun | Singular | Four-fifths of water usage is for agriculture. |
| Fraction / percentage + of + plural noun | Plural | 75% of undergraduates were very satisfied. |
| A and B | Plural | Engineered goods and textiles show a similar trend. |
| Noun + prepositional phrase | Follows the first noun | A new space for cafés and shops is constructed. |
My own sentences: right and wrong in the same essay
✓ Good: Overall, the number of participants for table tennis and musical performances has increased, …
(Task 29) the number of … has increased: the singular verb is correct.
✗ Original: … while that of amateur dramatics have witnessed a downward trend.
→ Revised: … while that for amateur dramatics has fallen.
(Task 29) In the second half of the same sentence, that refers to the number, so it is still singular. I got the first half right and was then fooled by the s in dramatics.
✓ Good: Overall, the harbour has witnessed considerable changes; a number of new facilities have been built …
(Task 33) a number of + plural verb: correct.
✗ Original: On the contrary, students speak German and two other languages, the percentage were the least at 10%.
→ Revised: By contrast, the proportions of students who spoke German or two other languages were the lowest, at 10% each.
(Task 11) Singular the percentage cannot take were. Since two categories are involved, it can become the proportions … were.
✗ Original: Following this, the second highest percentages goes to school halls, which makes up 24%.
→ Revised: School halls came second, accounting for 24%.
(Task 44) Plural percentages with singular goes: each side is half wrong.
✗ Original: Moving through study facilities, most students responsed positively; the figure for both student categories were all more than 85%.
→ Revised: Study facilities received the most positive response, with 85% of undergraduates and 90% of postgraduates very satisfied.
(Task 47) Singular the figure with were all; and the undergraduate figure was exactly 85%, not “more than 85%”.
✗ Original: As for Central Asia and South East Asia, more than four-fifths of water usage are for agricultural use …
→ Revised: … more than four-fifths of water is used for agriculture …
(Task 2) Water usage is uncountable, so the verb is singular.
✗ Original: Besides, a new space for cafes and shops are constructed next to a lifeboat …
→ Revised: A new area for cafés and shops has been built next to the lifeboat station.
(Task 33) The subject is a new space, not shops.
✗ Original: Overall, the revenue of four out of five categories increased by far in 2016, and the only exception were gems and jewellery.
→ Revised: … and the only exception was gems and jewellery.
(Trial essay 2) The subject is the only exception, which is singular. The same essay also has Engineered goods and textiles shows → show.
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✦ Target Your Future
Some days you practise for hours and the score still does not move. I hope these notes remind you that the setbacks are part of the road: every recording you replayed, every essay you rewrote and every sentence you finally dared to say is progress you have already made.
I wrote this down so the next person can take fewer detours. You do not have to follow my method exactly. Find a rhythm that works for you, rest when you need to, and come back for the next small step.
I hope what you take away is more than a number on a score report: a little more confidence in yourself, and the courage to step a bit closer to the world.
— Ting
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