tally

USAGE SUMMARY

"tally" is a perfectly correct and usable word in written English.
You can use it as a verb to mean "to count or to add up" (e.g. "The cashier tallied up my purchase"), or as a noun to mean "an amount or total" (e.g. "The final tally came to $50"). Example sentence: "We tallied up the votes and the winner was clear."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sport

Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The scorer doubled his tally just before the hour.

The Guardian - Sport

His tally of 486 runs in eight innings in the tournament, at an average of more than 60 and a strike rate of 87, is second only to Glamorgan's Jacques Rudolph, and has included half-centuries in the quarter and semi-final victories over Essex and Kent respectively, as well as two centuries during the group stage.

The Guardian - Sport

Parker had led the tally with 35 disposals and 10 clearances before being taken off on the medicab.

The Guardian - Sport

Its chairman, Liu Xiang, said the experience did not tally with Australia's "proclaimed enthusiasm for offshore investment".

The Guardian

And if the organisers had taken care to ensure that was the case by including judo in this year's programme (accounting for a quarter of Scotland's total medal tally) it would be churlish to quibble.

The Guardian - Sport

Charles Allen London England has won 58 gold medals at the Commonwealth Games (England's record tally shows young the way ahead, Sport, 4 August).

The Guardian - Sport

The album, which racks up its 11th week in the No 1 spot, has shifted over 214,000 copies in the past seven days, giving the flame-haired musician the biggest one-week sales tally of any artist album this year.

The Guardian - Music

Ronaldo's three goals took his tally for the season to 42, keeping him ahead of Barcelona's Lionel Messi, who could manage only two in the Catalans' 8-0 win at Córdoba, and putting him two behind Ronaldo on 40 league goals for the season.

The Guardian - Sport

While the Tories will be pleased by the narrowing of the gap with Labour, the party's inability to push its own tally up higher to a point where it could entertain the prospect of an overall Commons majority will be a worry, particularly after a rush of good economic news.

The Guardian

The second highest Portuguese scorer was the Sporting Lisbon midfielder Adrien Silva and seven of his modest tally of eight goals came from penalties.

The Guardian - Sport

The TUC had expected up to 2 million workers to go on strike and, with the number of teachers still unknown, unions are confident that the final tally will top 1 million, making Wednesday the biggest day of strike action since the late 1970s.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "tally" to refer to a count or record, especially when indicating a final result or summary. For example, "The final vote tally showed a clear winner."

Common error

Avoid using "tally" when you mean a rough estimate. "Tally" implies a relatively precise count, whereas an estimate is an approximation. For example, instead of saying "I tally there will be 50 people", say "I estimate there will be 50 people."

Linguistic Context

The word "tally" primarily functions as a noun referring to a count or total, or as a verb meaning to calculate or record. This dual functionality is supported by the examples provided by Ludwig, demonstrating its versatility in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

42%

Sport

22%

Formal & Business

12%

Less common in

Science

11%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "tally" is a versatile word used both as a noun and a verb, primarily to denote counting, recording, or the resulting sum. As Ludwig AI confirms, the word is grammatically correct and widely used. Its frequency is very common, especially in news, sports, and business contexts. When using "tally", ensure it accurately represents a precise count rather than a rough estimate. Consider alternatives like "count", "total", or "sum" depending on the specific context. The linguistic analysis shows a neutral register, suitable for a range of formal and informal communications. Use with confidence across various platforms.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

count

Focuses on the act of enumeration, similar to one meaning of "tally".

total

Refers to the sum or aggregate, like "tally" when used as a noun.

sum

Similar to "total", emphasizing the result of addition.

record

Highlights the action of noting or documenting, a function of "tally".

score

Especially in sports or games, refers to the points accumulated, resembling a "tally".

calculate

Emphasizes the process of arriving at a number, akin to "tallying".

compute

Similar to "calculate", often used in more technical contexts.

inventory

Implies a detailed list or count of items, relating to one aspect of "tally".

assessment

Focuses on the evaluation or estimation, which can involve a "tally".

enumeration

A more formal term for counting or listing, similar to "tally".

FAQs

How can I use "tally" in a sentence?

You can use "tally" as a verb meaning to calculate or record (e.g., "We need to "tally the results""), or as a noun referring to a count or score (e.g., "The final "tally was impressive"").

What words are similar to "tally"?

Synonyms for "tally" include "count", "total", "sum", and "record". The best choice depends on the specific context in which you're using the word. For example, "count" is a very general synonym, but "score" is more specific to games or competitions.

Is "tally" appropriate for formal writing?

Yes, "tally" is appropriate for both formal and informal writing. It's a versatile word that is commonly used in news reports, business documents, and academic papers.

Which is correct, "the vote tally" or "the vote count"?

Both "the vote tally" and "the vote count" are correct. The choice depends on personal preference, as they have virtually the same meaning in this context. However, you might choose "vote count" if you want a more straightforward term.