owes an amount

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "owes an amount" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts where someone is required to pay a specific sum of money to another party. Example: "He owes an amount of $500 to the contractor for the repairs made to his house."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

The Ways and Means Committee chairman, who is battling three ethics controversies, said he would file amended tax returns and pay federal, state and local taxes he owes -- an amount that his attorney, Lanny Davis, estimated at more than $10,000 for 2004 to 2006.

The Washington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

A spokesperson for IPSA said: "An MP may owe an amount to Ipsa for many different reasons, and the fact that an amount is owed does not, in itself, indicate any misuse of the MPs' Scheme of Business Costs and Expenses".

Independent

The family owed an amount that Mr. Cunningham would describe only as "in the five figures".

The New York Times

In an interview, Mahmood Karzai said he had repaid all the money he originally owed, an amount he put at $5.3 million.

The New York Times

Most banks forced the borrower to start making much larger monthly payments if the amount owed — an amount that could rise each month if the borrower made the minimum payment — rose to 110percentt of the appraised value of the home when the loan was made.

The New York Times

After a meeting with the bank's tax director, Mike Housden, in November 2010, the company agreed to pay the NI contributions that it owed, an amount that has not been made public.

BBC

Many are starting their careers owing an amount that would equate to a mortgage on a modest house.

Huffington Post

The state of Illinois already owes an enormous amount of money to school districts statewide.

Huffington Post

The subsequent development of Bombay owes a huge amount to the reclamations".

The Guardian

EMI is in dire financial straits and trying to fend off Citigroup, to whom it owes a considerable amount money.

The New York Times

The theater company owes "a substantial amount of money" to the Internal Revenue Service, he said, adding, "That's a different kind of threat than money owned for bills".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "owes an amount", be specific about the amount and to whom it is owed for clarity. For example, "The company owes an amount of $10,000 to its suppliers."

Common error

Don't use "owes an amount" without specifying the currency or providing context about the reason for the debt. Vague references can lead to confusion or misinterpretation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "owes an amount" functions as a verb phrase indicating a financial obligation. As confirmed by Ludwig, this phrase is used to express that someone is required to pay a specific sum of money. The example in Ludwig show this usage, as well.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

53%

Formal & Business

15%

Academia

11%

Less common in

Reference

7%

Science

6%

Encyclopedias

6%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "owes an amount" is a grammatically correct way to express a financial obligation, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. While not extremely common, it is primarily found in news and media contexts. It's important to be specific about the amount and to whom it is owed for clarity. Alternative phrases like "is indebted for a sum" or "has a debt of" can be used depending on the context. The Ludwig examples highlight the phrase's usage in real-world scenarios, emphasizing the importance of specifying the amount and recipient of the debt.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

is indebted for a sum

Replaces "owes" with "is indebted for" and "an amount" with "a sum".

has a debt of

Replaces "owes an amount" with a more direct statement of debt.

is liable for a payment of

Uses more formal language to indicate financial responsibility.

is in arrears for

Indicates that the amount owed is overdue.

is responsible for paying

Focuses on the responsibility to pay the outstanding amount.

has an outstanding balance of

Emphasizes the remaining balance that needs to be paid.

is obligated to pay

Highlights the obligation or duty to pay the amount.

is accountable for a balance of

Indicates accountability for the specified amount.

is subject to a charge of

Specifies that the amount is a charge or fee.

carries a deficit of

Suggests a financial shortfall or deficit equivalent to the amount owed.

FAQs

How can I use "owes an amount" in a sentence?

Use "owes an amount" to indicate a financial obligation. For example: "The company owes an amount to its suppliers" or "He owes an amount in back taxes".

What are some alternatives to saying "owes an amount"?

You can use alternatives such as "is indebted for a sum", "has a debt of", or "is liable for a payment of".

Is it better to use "owes money" or "owes an amount"?

"Owes money" is more general, while "owes an amount" implies a specific sum. Use "owes an amount" when you want to emphasize the precise quantity of the debt.

What's the difference between "is owed an amount" and "owes an amount"?

"Owes an amount" means someone has a debt to pay. "Is owed an amount" means someone is waiting to receive payment. The subject changes to specify the receiver of the debt instead of the payer.