IELTS writing

[newbie]

Hi,
Please have a look at these two sentences:

1. Malaysia and Philippines rank slightly lower than China for males with 88%, but they have a higher rate for females of 83 percent.
=> Is the use of "of" here OK? or should it be replaced with "with"?

2. Thailand has ... standard of literacy with 95 percent for men and 92 percent for women.
=> Which should be used to fill in the blank? "a" or "the" and why?

Many thanks
Newbie.

[Anglika]

Hi,
Please have a look at these two sentences:

1. Malaysia and Philippines rank slightly lower than China for males with 88%, but they have a higher rate for females of 83 %
=> Is the use of "of" here OK? or should it be replaced with "with"? No, "of" is fine. But you must be consistent in using % or per cent

2. Thailand has ... standard of literacy with 95 percent for men and 92 percent for women.
=> Which should be used to fill in the blank? "a" or "the" and why? a - it is a generic standard.

Many thanks
Newbie.

.

[newbie]

1. Malaysia and Philippines rank slightly lower than China for males with 88%, but they have a higher rate for females of 83 %
=> Is the use of "of" here OK? or should it be replaced with "with"?

No, "of" is fine. But you must be consistent in using % or per cent

Thank you very much, Anglika, but I'm still confused. If "of" here is fine, then how about "with"? why don't we use "with" so that it is parallel with the first "with"? (and more good-sounding)

[Soup]

Ellipsis,

1a. Malaysia and the Philippines rank slightly lower than China for males with [a percentage rate of] 88%,

Shift in word order, called transposition,

1b. ... but they have a higher rate for females of 83%.

1c. ... but they have a higher rate of 83% for females.

[newbie]

Hi Soup,
Thanks a lot for your help. Now I just have one more question: Could you please tell me about the use of "Ellipsis" in your last post? (I understand the meaning of the word "ellipsis", but I just don't understand why you used it. If possible, could you give me another example? - Thank you very much.

[newbie]

Hi Soup,
May I know your idea, please?

Many thanks
N.

[Soup]

Ellipsis is another way of saying that a word or phrase has been omitted by the speaker, and this is shown in writing using square brackets [...]. The phrase in blue below has been omitted.:


1a. Malaysia and the Philippines rank slightly lower than China for males with [a percentage rate of] 88%.

Notice that of is there, but that it's been omitted by the writer.

_______________________

1b. ... but they have a higher rate for females of 83%.

1c. ... but they have a higher rate of 83% for females.