Language Activator – Count

count/count up

(transitive verb)

to find the total number of things or people in a group by counting them all

.Katherine counted her money. There was almost $50 left

add up also tot up

(transitive phrasal verb)

to put several numbers or amounts together and calculate the total

add up something

.When we added up the receipts we realized we had spent too much

tot up something

.Just tot up the total and write it at the bottom

add something up

.Five percent may not sound like much but it’s a lot of money when you add it all up

tot something up

.Tot the whole lot up to make sure you’ll have enough money to pay

keep track also keep count

(verb phrase)

to keep a record, either on paper or in your memory, of numbers or amounts that increase over a period of time, so that you always know what the total is

.I don’t know what the score was. I wasn’t keeping count

keep track of

.He kept a notebook in the car to keep track of how much money he was spending on gas

keep a tally of

(verb phrase)

to keep a record of numbers that are to be added up, for example by writing or marking them on paper

.Steve kept a tally of the days he spent in prison by scratching marks on the wall

at the last count /at last count

(adverb)

if there is a particular total at the last count, this is what the total was the last time anyone checked

.At the last count, only 18 Japanese firms were making car parts in America

:Practice

:Fill in the blanks with appropriate words

N1. There are a lot of professional athletes living in the Orlando area — more than 100 at ————- count

N2. The plastic rings help the sales assistants to keep a ————- of the number of garments customers have taken into the changing rooms

.N3. She was trying to keep ——— of how many stations they’d passed

.N4.  ———— up the number of calories you have each day

.N5.  ——— the kids as they get on the bus and make sure they’re all here

:Answers

Last/ tally/ count/ Count/ Count