total number of vs number of total

Both "total number of" and "number of total" are correct, but they are used in different contexts. "Total number of" is more commonly used when referring to the complete count of something, while "number of total" is less common and may sound awkward in most situations.

Last updated: April 01, 2024 • 716 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

"total number of"

This phrase is used to refer to the complete count or sum of something. It is commonly used in sentences like "The total number of participants was 100."

Examples:

The total number of students in the class is 30.
What is the total number of books in the library?
The total number of votes cast was 500.
Please provide the total number of hours worked.
I need to know the total number of guests attending the event.

Show examples from the web [+]

The total number of online publications in Serbia is not known.
The total number of men under Katsuie's overall command at that battle totaled 5,000.
The total number of Macedonian speakers is highly disputed.
Most international sources place the total number of Serbs displaced at around 300,000.
There is disagreement about the total number of human losses.
The total number of employees has remained constant.
In April 2005, the total number of registered homeschool students in British Columbia was 3068.
The total number of the dead was estimated at about one hundred thousand.
Surely there must be a record of total number of machines installed.
The total number of speakers of Gbe languages is between four and eight million.
Most Falun Gong estimates in the same period placed the total number of practitioners in China at 70 to 80 million.
The total number of interments exceeds 6,000.
Estimates of the total number of speakers of Gbe languages vary considerably.
It is scored according to the total number of citations received.
The total number of communists killed is unknown, but was certainly in the dozens.
The total number of inhabited townlands was 60,679 in 1911.
The total number of the Levites came to 22,000.
The total number of licenses is 40 pieces.
Gambling is recognized only 9.9% of the total number of players.
The total number of people who can accommodate the house is 9.

Alternatives:

the complete number of
the overall number of
the entire number of
the sum total of
the aggregate number of

This phrase is correct but less common in English.

"number of total"

This phrase can be used in specific contexts where the emphasis is on the total quantity rather than the individual items. It may sound awkward in most situations.

Examples:

The number of total votes exceeded expectations.
We need to calculate the number of total hours spent on the project.
The number of total participants in the study was significant.
What is the number of total pages in the document?
She was surprised by the number of total expenses incurred.

Show examples from the web [+]

The first table shows the number of links clicked during the selected time period (listed below) and the number of total clicks.
Number of total entries (companies)
That reduction shall be proportional to the lower number of total aviation allowances in circulation.
As the previous fields are optional, this field could refer the average number of total landings operations in the Member State.
There are of course regulations that we view in a critical light, such as, for example, the low number of total training hours stipulated and their division into teaching blocks.
During the last few years the number of total losses of ships is being reduced, but new elements of risk place unknown challenges to the industry of the shipping and the insurance field.
A new version of a series is issued if one of the constituents defaults and the index has to be re-weighted to account for the new number of total constituents within the index.
The range must start with an even number and end with an odd number to include an even number of total ports.
In the 2013 greater number of total losses (69) is constituted by the sinking of ships, since it represents an increment of +47% regarding 55 sinkings in 2012 and of +44% regarding 2002.
In the first summary table, you can see the number of total non-monetary conversions for the selected time period.
It shall be calculated by dividing the forecast number of total terminal service units for the relevant year as defined in the performance plan into the algebraic sum of the following elements:
Number of total suitcases: Number of total suitcases: is required

Alternatives:

the total number of
the complete number of
the overall number of
the entire number of
the sum total of

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