a total sum of

USAGE SUMMARY

"a total sum of" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to refer to a specific amount of something that is the result of adding up two or more other amounts. For example, "The total sum of all their expenses was $500."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

34 human-written examples

The document lists more than 1,000 investors who are late paying what they owe — a total sum of more than $65 million.

The New York Times

Christie's sale of contemporary and post-war art fetched a total sum of $385m£195m5m) - fully $80m above the highest pre-sale estimates.

The Guardian

Since last December, the MoD had reached agreement in a further 22 claims, with a total sum of just over £1.1 million.

Independent

The classification methodology can be used by urban and landscape planners to determine the type of Sustainable Flood Retention Basin based on a total sum of weights obtained for 34 qualitative or quantitative variables.

Landscape and Urban Planning

"Between 11 October 2000 and 8 August 2008 Mr Horton dishonestly procured the payment by the claimant [MGN] to various accounts held or controlled by himself, by Mrs Horton, and by friends and relatives of theirs, of a total sum of at least £371,880," Tugendhat's judgement stated.

The Guardian

The PSS questionnaire had a total sum of 56.

The Journal of Headache and Pain

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

26 human-written examples

This is a result of the sum total of your customers' experiences over time.

Huffington Post

(Another defamatory accusation that cost several newspapers a total sum in excess of £2m).

Independent

Variable C1 represents an additional bit that is added to the sum of A and B. Thus, the total sum of A, B and C1 is at least 0 and at most 3.

BMC Genomics

ω2 is the ratio of sum of squared deviation of a factor to total sum of squared deviation (SST).

Building and Environment

Following Charnes, Cooper and Rhodes (CCR) [35] the technical efficiency of a health decision making unit (a hospital) can be expressed as a maximum ratio of total sum of weighted outputs to total sum of weighted inputs.

Health Economics Review

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a total sum of", ensure that the context clearly indicates what is being added together to reach that total. Clarity is key for effective communication.

Common error

Avoid using "a total sum total of", as it's unnecessarily repetitive. Stick to either "a total sum of" or "the sum total of" for conciseness.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a total sum of" functions as a prepositional phrase that quantifies a specific amount resulting from addition or accumulation. It modifies a noun, specifying its quantity or value, as seen in Ludwig examples.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

41%

News & Media

35%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Wiki

8%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a total sum of" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase to express a calculated quantity. Ludwig AI confirms its validity. It's most frequent in scientific and news contexts, indicating its widespread use in both formal and general communications. To ensure clarity, avoid redundancy by not using "total sum total of", and be specific about what constitutes the total. Consider alternative phrases like "a combined total of" or "the sum total of" to vary your language while maintaining precision. The authoritative sources such as The Guardian and The New York Times use "a total sum of", showing its reliability.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

the sum total of

Inverts the order of words but retains essentially the same meaning, placing a bit more emphasis on the completeness of the summation.

a combined total of

Highlights that the final amount is a result of combining multiple figures, emphasizing the action of combining.

an aggregate of

Emphasizes the collection of different elements into a single amount, similar to the original phrase, but slightly more formal.

the total value of

Focuses on the worth or significance of what is being summed, rather than just the mathematical total.

a grand total of

Adds a sense of impressiveness or finality to the amount, implying it's the ultimate calculation.

a collective amount of

Stresses that the amount is gathered from multiple sources or individuals.

a consolidated figure of

Indicates that different amounts have been brought together into one, often used in financial contexts.

a cumulative figure of

Highlights the accrual or addition over time to reach the final amount.

an overall amount of

Suggests a broad view, looking at the total without necessarily specifying its components.

the entirety of

Refers to the whole amount, but can also imply completeness or inclusiveness beyond just numerical value.

FAQs

How can I use "a total sum of" in a sentence?

Use "a total sum of" to indicate the result of adding multiple amounts together. For example, "The project's costs amounted to "a total sum of" $1 million".

What phrases are similar to "a total sum of"?

You can use similar phrases such as "an aggregate of", "a combined total of", or "the sum total of" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "total sum total of"?

No, saying "total sum total of" is redundant. Use either "a total sum of" or "the sum total of" for better clarity and conciseness.

What's the difference between "a total sum of" and "the total value of"?

"A total sum of" focuses on the numerical amount resulting from addition, while "the total value of" emphasizes the worth or significance of that amount. The choice depends on whether you want to highlight the quantity or the value.