xiaokaoy
What will it cost, overall? In what cases can that question be asked? Can I ask the cashier that question when he or she has just calculated how much the items in my supermarket trolley total?
Sep 15, 2014 3:37 AM
Answers · 3
3
No, you cannot. Just ask, "What is the total?" When you do a transaction, and it involves costs paid to different parties, then you can ask, "What is the cost, overall?" For example, when you buy a house, there are stamp duty, surveyors' charges and agents' commissions on top of the purchase price. Your mother may ask you, "How much does it cost, overall?"
September 15, 2014
2
I agree with Ben. You can use "overall" only when there are additional expenses involved. When you buy a new car, you don't only pay the sticker price for the car itself. There are options, extras, you have to register it, get insurance etc. If you told me you bought a new car for $10,000 I may ask you, "And what did it cost you overall?" to which you say, "Altogether, it was almost $12k." At the checkout: "What is the total?", "What's my total?", "How much is it?", "What do I owe you?", "What's the damage?" (informal and trying to be funny).
September 15, 2014
Yes, that's perfectly acceptable. Any time someone has added up a total price you can use it. Though to me it sounds a bit too formal. If you want to be more informal, you could say "What's the total?"
September 15, 2014
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