Notepad
a fifth, a quarter, a third, a half, two thirds, three quarters, six percent
65% of the world population or about two thirds
the majority of, most, half of, doubled, tripled, halved
The population of the earth has almost doubled.
The majority of Europeans drink clean water – most Africans have little water.
Just over/under half, at least, up to, slightly over/under
Germans use up to 250 litres of water per day.
Just over half of the total number have running water.
almost, around, about, approximately, nearly, roughly
Each American uses roughly 500 litres a day.
BUT use precisely or exactly to talk of accurate or exact figures:
Mozambicans have precisely/exactly 15 litres per day per person.
Small or big differences:
a bit, a great deal, somewhat, quite a lot, hardly any, considerably, scarcely, only just, far
half, twice, three times, six times, 15%
AS .......... AS
The wave machine produces twice as many kilowatts as other devices
It is half as expensive as the nearest competitor.
People in the US use three times as much water as people in Denmark.
MORE ..........(adjective) THAN
Water in Afghanistan is 78% more expensive than water in India.
Electricity is five times more expensive in Greenland than in France.
Action in progress
in the present: « The temperature is rising sharply at the moment. »
in the past: « The temperature was rising slowly last century. »
Looking back
from the present to the past: « The ice cap has melted by 5% this year. »
from earlier in the past to another point in the past: « The northern ice cap had melted significantly between 1500 AD and 1650 AD but around 1650 the climate changed »
in the past and finished: « The overall temperature dropped sharply around 1650 »
Looking back at action in progress
action in progress up to a point in the past: « Deforestation had been increasing rapidly but then new international laws were introduced »
action in progress up to the present: « Sales of tropical wood have been decreasing in all the European markets. »
