Breakdown of Девяносто девять процентов студентов прочитают этот текст.
студент
student (m)
текст
text
этот
this [f: эта, n: это]
девять
nine
Questions & Answers about Девяносто девять процентов студентов прочитают этот текст.
Why is it процентов (Genitive plural) instead of just Genitive singular?
When dealing with compound numbers, the very last word determines the case of the noun. Since девяносто девять ends in девять (nine), it follows the rule for numbers 5 and above. Therefore, the noun процент must take the Genitive plural form: процентов.
Why is студентов also in the Genitive plural? Does the number change it too?
The number doesn't directly affect студентов. It is in the Genitive case simply because it means 'of students.' Just like in English (percent of students), the word процентов needs the next noun to be in the Genitive case to show what the percentage is made of.
Why is the verb прочитают in the plural? Don't number phrases usually take a singular verb?
While number phrases often take a singular (neuter) verb in Russian, there is an exception. When the subject is a group of living things (like студентов) that are actively doing an action, Russian prefers to use the plural verb. That's why we use the plural прочитают.
Is прочитают present or future tense?
It is future tense! The verb прочитать is perfective, meaning it describes a completed action. Perfective verbs do not have a present tense. When you conjugate a perfective verb with present-tense endings, it automatically creates the future tense ('will read').