at the rate of

[me78]

Hi, I just wanted to akk what this word mean:
"new supermakets have been opened at the rate of almost one a month."
thanks

[wuwei]

Does it mean that there is one new supermarket openned every month?
Waiting for the exact answer.
Best regards
Ian

[BobK]

Does it mean that there is one new supermarket openned every month?
Waiting for the exact answer.
Best regards
Ian

Almost one a month opened - maybe 23 over 2 years.

b

[BobK]

PS - And using 'at a rate of' before the figure allows for peaks and troughs [high points and low points] - maybe none for a few months, and then 3 or 4.

b

[me78]

PS - And using 'at a rate of' before the figure allows for peaks and troughs [high points and low points] - maybe none for a few months, and then 3 or 4.

b

Does it mean that in the period of a month are opened almost one new supermarket, which means that it could be either zero openening or more than one.
The sentence ist very confusing, it is said " supermarkets" and than " almost one a month" which doesn't make any sense.

[BobK]

Does it mean that in the period of a month are opened almost one new supermarket, which means that it could be either zero openening or more than one.
The sentence ist very confusing, it is said " supermarkets" and than " almost one a month" which doesn't make any sense.

Yes. Because it's impossible to open a fraction of a supermarket, it has to talk about a rate. And over the period accounted for, several supermarkets have opened; so even though the rate is lower than one, the plural verb sounds more natural. If it was precisely one per month though, you could say 'one supermarket a month has been opened'.


b

[me78]

thank you Bob