One word. It takes a singular verb when standing alone or when a singular word follows an “of” construction. For example,
- The professor said 60 percent was a failing grade.
- He said 70 percent of the membership was there.
It takes a plural verb when a plural word follows an “of” construction. For example,
- He said 50 percent of the members were there.
Use figures for percent and percentages. For example,
- 5 percent
- 2.5 percent (use decimal points, not fractions)
- 10 percent
- 4 percentage points
For a range, “12 to 15 percent,” or “between 12 and 15 percent.”
For amounts less than 1 percent, precede the decimal with a zero. For example,
- Nationwide inflation rose 0.7 percent last year.