items amount

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "items amount" is not correct in standard written English.
It is typically used incorrectly when referring to the quantity of items, where "amount" should be replaced with "number" for countable items. Example: "The number of items in the cart is displayed at the top of the page."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

In a sense, both items amount to one-time costs and will disappear.

The New York Times

Altogether, legislative member items amount to about $170 million a year.

The New York Times

In the United States, sales taxes and excise taxes on cigarettes and other items amount to roughly 4percentt.

The New York Times

For the remaining 25 items, "Amount of time the care provider spent with you" (Diff[1-2]=1.03; P < 0.0001) and "Ease of scheduling your appointment" (Diff[1-2]=0.99; P < 0.0001) best correlated with likelihood to recommend.

Stanford University

But all the initiatives proposed in the president's speech Tuesday night for schools, defense modernization, aid to religious institutions and other items amount to less than $15 billion, or less than 5percentt of domestic spending outside entitlement programs like Social Security and Medicare.

The New York Times

Therefore, when choosing the most suitable program, researchers should consider the research questions that they aim to address, the statistical requirements of their hypothesized SEM model(s), and data characteristics (e.g., the number of items, amount of missing data).

Large-scale Assessments in Education

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

These items amounted to no more than the average Afghan pocket litter," O'Connor writes.

The New York Times - Magazine

#Greece still holding out on items amounting to "hundreds of millions" at least Markets reacted positively to the news.

Independent

Last year, major federal benefits such as Medicare, Medicaid, food stamps, housing subsidies and other items amounted to at least $145 billion for the nation's population.

The Washington Post

The last official survey of the cost of schooling, in 2007, found the average spend on school-related items amounted to £1,195 per student in secondary schools and £684 in primaries.

The Guardian

In 2018, the company sold more than 334 million items, amounting to over $12 billion of gross merchandise volume.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When referring to countable objects, use "number" or "quantity" instead of "amount". For example, prefer "the number of items" over "the items amount".

Common error

Avoid using "amount" when referring to discrete, countable items. "Amount" is typically used for non-countable substances (e.g., the amount of water).

Linguistic Context

The phrase "items amount" functions as a noun phrase, typically intended to indicate a quantity. However, according to Ludwig AI, the phrase exhibits grammatical errors. To be grammatical and semantically correct, it is recommended to use the phrase number of items instead.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

30%

News & Media

30%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Wiki

10%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "items amount" appears in various sources, it is generally considered grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI recommends using "number of items" or "quantity of items" instead, especially in formal writing. The intended meaning is usually to specify a total or count, but clarity and correctness are improved with the suggested alternatives. The phrase is found in neutral contexts, but its limited frequency suggests careful consideration of usage.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

number of items

Replaces "amount" with "number" to correctly refer to countable items.

quantity of items

Uses "quantity" to denote a specific count, suitable for formal contexts.

total items

Refers to a collective sum of items, implying a final count.

sum of items

Denotes the result of adding individual items together, emphasizing accumulation.

count of items

Uses "count" to directly signify the act of enumeration.

volume of items

Emphasizes the bulk or extent of a set of items, often used in logistical contexts.

aggregate of items

Signifies a collection of items considered as a whole.

inventory size

Specifically refers to the extent of items in stock or a collection.

item total

Shortens the phrase to highlight the final number of items.

item count

A concise way of referring to the enumeration of items.

FAQs

How can I correctly refer to a collection of countable items?

Instead of using "items amount", use "number of items" or "quantity of items" to ensure grammatical accuracy.

Is it grammatically correct to use "amount" with countable nouns like items?

No, it is generally incorrect. "Amount" is used with non-countable nouns (e.g., amount of water), while "number of items" is appropriate for countable nouns.

What are some alternatives to "items amount" that maintain a formal tone?

Formal alternatives include "quantity of items", "sum of items", or "item total", which are more grammatically sound.

When is it appropriate to use "amount" in a phrase, and when should I use "number"?

"Amount" is used for non-countable nouns (e.g., amount of effort), while "number" is used for countable nouns (e.g., number of items). Choose the correct term based on whether the noun can be counted.