When should you use ‘percent’ and when should you use ‘percentage?’ We use ‘percent’ when it involves a specific number. (We cannot say 15 percentage.)

Examples:

• Fifteen percent of whales are infertile.
• Over 80 percent of students passed with a good mark.
• A small percentage of whales are infertile.
• A large percentage of the students passed with a good mark.

Collocations: When you learn new vocab, make sure that you note collocations too. For this group of words some collocations are:
occurrence of, reoccurrence of, occurs when, recurrent payments
percentage of
period of, period with, periodic occurrence
policy change, policy document
principle of

Check the meanings of the words if you don’t already know them. Check the meanings of the different forms if they seem to be different. You can check them at Time4english by clicking the words (http://www.time4english.com/aamain/lounge/awl.asp).

Complete the sentences below with the correct word and the correct form of the word.

1. For many people it is a matter of ______________. (principle, period)
2. If there is a ______________ of leaking water during storms, we’ll have to call a plumber.  (principle, occur)
3. Testing is held _______________. (period, occur)
4. Close to 90 _______________ of the population support the leader. (percent, policy)
5. Have you seen the _______________documents? (percent, policy)

Answers (in the wrong order below)
4. percent   3. periodically 2.reoccurence  1. principle   5. policy