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| Hi, everybody. Welcome back to, "Know Your Verbs." My name is Alisha. And, in this episode, we're going to talk about the verb "count." Let's get started. |
| Okay. Let's start with the basic definition of the verb "count." The basic definition is to use a number or a unit to find the total amount of something. Examples: "Please count the number of people," "We're counting sheep." Now, let's look at the conjugations for this verb. Present: "count, counts." Past: "counted." Past participle: "counted." Progressive: "counting." |
| Now, let's move on to some additional meanings for this verb. The first additional meaning is "to include in a total." Some examples: "Fifty party guests! Does that count children?" "Ten people, not counting me, are driving to the lake." So, both of these example sentences show us how to use the verb "count" in the sense of including something in a total. So, we're not saying one 1, 2, 3, instead, we're talking about a total number of something. And, "count" is used to mean included inside that total. So, in the first example sentence, the question is asked, "Does that count children?" "Does that count children? In other words, does that include children? Are children included in that total number? In the second example sentence, it's used in a negative. So, "Ten people, not counting me, are driving to the lake." Meaning, 10 people, not including me, are driving to the lake. So, this use of "count" means include. |
| The second additional meaning is "to consider" or "to think of." Let's look at some examples. "I count that company among my most valued clients," "We don't count him as part of the group." So, these uses of "count," don't really refer to numbers. They don't refer to totals of anything. Actually, this use of "count" means like to consider something as or to think of something or someone as something else. So, in the first example sentence, it's about a company. So, "I count that company among my most valued clients," that means I consider that company one of my most valued clients. I think of that company in that way. So, this use of "count" is often used, like we see in this sentence, along with "among." Like, "I count him among my close friends," or "I count that person among my worst enemies," for example, something like that. So, it's kind of part of a group you're counting or you're considering that thing or that person as part of a larger group. |
| In the second example sentence, however, it's a negative. We don't "count" him as part of the group. In other words, we don't consider him or we don't think of him as part of the group. So, again, we see kind of a group situation. However, in this negative case, it's that we don't consider that person. We don't "count" that person as part of this group. So, this use means "to consider" or "to think of" someone as something. Usually, like as a larger part of something else. |
| Let's move on to the third additional meaning, which is "to have value," to have value. Let's look at some examples. "A friend's opinion counts more than the opinion of a stranger," "The things I say don't count for much." So, we have "count" here used to mean value, or it has some kind of worth. In the first example sentence, "A friend's opinion counts for more than the opinion of a stranger." So, in other words, a friend's opinion is more valuable than the opinion of a stranger. in the second example sentence, however, it's a negative. So, "The things I say don't count for much," means the things I say don't have much value, or the things I say aren't worth much. So, "count" is used in these cases to refer to having value, or not having value, as in the second example sentence. |
| So, let's take a look at some variations for this verb. The first variation is "to count down to." "To count down to," means to count in decreasing numbers, to use decreasing numbers. Usually, before some kind of deadline, or some kind of event. Let's take a look at some examples. "Lots of people count down to midnight on New Year's Eve," "The crowd counted down to the conclusion of the soccer game." So, in both of these example sentences, we see some kind of special event or something kind of like a deadline. |
| In the first example sentence, it's New Year's Eve. So, "counting down to midnight" usually means counting down like the last 10 seconds of the previous year until we get to zero. Or, usually, with New Year's Eve at zero, we say "Happy New Year." We get to like, "3-2-1, Happy New Year!" So, counting in that decreasing order, counting down to a deadline, or counting down to like a buzzer or the end of a game, we use the expression "count down" for that. So, in the second example sentence. With soccer, the crowd counts down the last seconds of the game. So, the crowd is excited to see their team win perhaps, so they might count down the final seconds of the game. Usually, from like 10 until zero. So, count downs typically aren't very long. If you start counting down like way before an event happens, it's really irritating. But, typically, when you count down to something, it's just the last 10 seconds or so. |
| The next expression is "to count on someone." "To count on someone," means to depend on someone or to rely on someone. Let's look at some examples. "We're counting on you to meet us at the airport," "Can I count on you to finish the assignment on time?" So, in these example sentences, we see "to count on someone" means to rely on someone. So, we can actually replace "count on" with "rely on" here, or "depend on" here. In the first example sentence, "We're counting on you to meet us at the airport." We're relying on you, we're depending on you. So, if you don't do this thing, we will be in trouble, is the idea here. In the second example sentence, it's a question. "Can I count on you to have the assignment finished?" So, that means can I rely on you, can I trust you, can I depend on you, to have this complete. But, we use "count" there. So, this doesn't mean like, "Can I count on you?" Like using numbers, no. It means to rely or to depend. So, please be careful. Very, very different meanings of "count," for sure. |
| So, please pay attention to the context with this verb. This is a very important verb for context, I think. Alright. But, I hope that you found some new ways of using the verb "count." If you know a different way, or if you want to try to make a sentence with this verb, or just have some questions or comments, please feel free to let us know in the comment section of this video. Thanks very much for watching this episode of "Know Your Verbs," and we'll see you again soon. Bye-bye. |
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