The phrasal verb "sum up to" is primarily used in informal speech, although it can make occasional appearances in formal contexts when the context requires precise language related to mathematics, accounting, or summarizing results. It is fundamentally used to indicate that a series of numbers, quantities, or elements combine to produce a total amount. This phrasal verb is often utilized in discussions involving calculations, such as financial reporting, or when giving a summary or a comprehensive account of a situation. It is particularly useful in contexts where the final total or result is of particular importance or interest, like when balancing accounts or summarizing points in a discussion. While "sum up to" is fairly straightforward, its relevance is largely context-dependent, adding clarity when expressing summaries or totals in both written and spoken communication.
B1
PreIntermediate
1. To form a total amount or quantity from separate parts up to a certain point.
The expenses sum up to $200 for the whole trip.
The scores from all the games sum up to 250 points.
2. To summarize or give the main points of something up to a particular stage or moment.
The report sums up to the current status of the project.
The teacher asked to sum up the chapter we covered last week.