Count past tense

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Meaning of count

to determine the total number of; enumerate.

Infinitive

Word: count: /kaʊnt/
Examples:
  • 1. I count my steps every morning to ensure I stay active throughout the day.
  • 2. He always counts on his fingers when he's trying to solve a math problem.
  • 3. She counts her blessings every night before going to sleep.

Past Simple

Word: counted /ˈkaʊntɪd/
Examples:
  • 1. She counted all the coins in the jar to find out how much money she had saved.
  • 2. We counted the number of guests who attended the party to ensure everyone was accounted for.
  • 3. He counted his steps as he walked around the park, trying to reach his goal of 10,000 steps for the day.

Past Participle

Word: counted /ˈkaʊntɪd/
Examples:
  • 1. The apples were counted by the store clerk to ensure there were enough for the sale.
  • 2. The book has been counted among the bestsellers of the year.
  • 3. The votes in the election were counted carefully to avoid any mistakes.

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Bare infinitive

  1. To describe habitual actions or routines involving determining the total number of items or people.
    Example. She counts her steps every day to meet her fitness goals.
    Example. This system counts the number of entries automatically.
    Example. Always count your change before leaving the counter.
  2. To state facts or general truths about the act of enumerating.
    Example. She counts her steps every day to meet her fitness goals.
    Example. This system counts the number of entries automatically.
    Example. Always count your change before leaving the counter.
  3. To give instructions or advice related to the process of counting or enumerating.
    Example. She counts her steps every day to meet her fitness goals.
    Example. This system counts the number of entries automatically.
    Example. Always count your change before leaving the counter.

Past Simple

  1. To talk about a specific instance in the past when someone determined the total number of items or people.
    Example. After the event, they counted the tickets to calculate attendance.
    Example. We counted all the votes manually after the machine malfunctioned.
    Example. He counted the steps to ensure the accuracy of the building plans.
  2. To describe a series of actions in the past that involved counting or enumerating.
    Example. After the event, they counted the tickets to calculate attendance.
    Example. We counted all the votes manually after the machine malfunctioned.
    Example. He counted the steps to ensure the accuracy of the building plans.
  3. To express a past action of counting that is complete.
    Example. After the event, they counted the tickets to calculate attendance.
    Example. We counted all the votes manually after the machine malfunctioned.
    Example. He counted the steps to ensure the accuracy of the building plans.

Past Participle

  1. Perfect tenses - To talk about actions of counting that have happened, with relevance to the present moment or completed at an unspecified time in the past.
    Example. The votes were counted by an independent body to ensure transparency.
  2. Example (Present Perfect). They have counted all the ballots, but the results are not yet announced.
    Example. The votes were counted by an independent body to ensure transparency.
  3. Example (Past Perfect). By the time we arrived, the teacher had already counted the students for the field trip.
    Example. The votes were counted by an independent body to ensure transparency.
  4. Passive voice - To describe situations where the focus is on the items that were counted, rather than who counted them.
    Example. The votes were counted by an independent body to ensure transparency.

Common mistakes

— 01

Irregular Forms

Although 'count' is a regular verb and correctly follows the pattern of adding '-ed' for its past simple and past participle forms, some learners might mistakenly believe it should be treated as an irregular verb due to overgeneralization from irregular verb patterns they have learned. This could lead to incorrect forms being produced, though this is less common with a verb as straightforward as 'count.'

— 02

Pronunciation

A common issue, particularly for non-native speakers, is the mispronunciation of the past simple and past participle forms. While 'counted' is phonetically straightforward (/ˈkaʊntɪd/), learners might struggle with the addition of the '-ed' ending, especially in terms of voicing and the extra syllable it adds. This mistake is more about spoken English than written form but can impact listening comprehension and speaking fluency.

— 03

Misuse of Participle

Some learners may incorrectly use the base form 'count' instead of the past participle 'counted' when forming perfect tenses (have/has/had counted) or passive constructions. Although the form 'counted' remains the same in both the past simple and past participle, forgetting to use auxiliary verbs (have, has, had) with the past participle in perfect tense structures, or misapplying these forms in passive voice sentences, can lead to grammatical errors. This type of mistake involves a misunderstanding of tense and aspect rather than the formation of the verb forms themselves.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the past simple form of 'count'?

The past simple form of 'count' is 'counted'. It is used to describe an action that was completed at a specific time in the past. For example, 'Yesterday, I counted all the coins in my piggy bank.'

What is the past participle form of 'count'?

The past participle form of 'count' is also 'counted'. This form is used in perfect tenses and passive voice constructions. For example, in the sentence 'All the votes have been counted,' 'counted' is used as the past participle in a passive voice construction.

How do I use the past simple form of 'count' in a sentence?

The past simple form, 'counted,' is straightforward to use. It follows a subject and is usually accompanied by a time reference to indicate when the action happened. Here’s a structure you can follow. [Subject] + counted + [Object (if any)] + [Time reference]. For instance, 'She counted the guests last night.'

Can you give an example of a sentence using the past participle form of 'count' in a perfect tense and in passive voice?

Yes, certainly. Perfect tense example. 'I have counted all the entries, and the total is surprising.' In this sentence, 'have counted' is an example of the present perfect tense, indicating an action that was completed at an indeterminate time in the past and has relevance to the present. Passive voice example. 'The ballots were counted by the officials carefully to ensure accuracy.' Here, 'were counted' is used in the passive voice, focusing on the action of counting rather than who performed the action.