Basic Details
Word: Proportion
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: A part or share of a whole; also, the correct relationship in size between different parts of something.
Synonyms: share, part, ratio, fraction
Word origin: From Latin proportio, from pro portione, according to each share.
How to Spell Proportion
Syllables: pro - por - tion
Tricky part: Students often lose the r in the second beat and write propotion. Both early syllables carry an o: pro-por.
Watch out for: propotion, proporsion, praportion
Memory tip: Proportion is pro + portion. A portion is a share, so a proportion of the class is a share of it.
Idioms and Phrases
- out of proportion: too large or serious compared with the real situation Example: "His anger over one lost pencil was completely out of proportion."
- a sense of proportion: the ability to judge what is really important Example: "Try to keep a sense of proportion; it is only a practice test."
Usage Examples
Example 1: A large proportion of the students in our school travel by bus.
Example 2: The artist drew the elephant's ears in perfect proportion to its head.
Example 3: Mix sugar and water in the proportion of one to three.
Fun Fact
Art teachers often say an adult figure is about seven to eight heads tall, a rule of thumb for drawing the body in proportion.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
According to the survey carried out by the students of Class 8, a large propotion of the families in our colony now sort their waste every day.
a) propotion
b) survey
c) families
d) colony
Show answer
a) propotion. The word is pro plus portion; leaving out the r of portion breaks it.
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the letters in the sentence to form a meaningful word:
Only a small oiptronpro of the rainwater actually soaks into the hard ground.
a) proportion
b) protection
c) promotion
d) projection
Show answer
a) proportion. There are two p's and two r's here; promotion, protection and projection each have only one of each.
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word proportion as used in the sentence:
A growing proportion of Indian homes now use solar panels on their roofs.
a) absence
b) share
c) total
d) speed
Show answer
b) share. The sentence talks about part of all the homes, and share means a part of a whole.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. If a drawing is out of proportion, its parts ____.
a) are hidden behind each other
b) are drawn in pencil only
c) are the wrong size compared with each other
d) have been coloured too brightly
Show answer
c) are the wrong size compared with each other
2. In a class of 40, a proportion of three quarters would be ____ students.
a) 34
b) 20
c) 10
d) 30
Show answer
d) 30
