Phrasal verb
count off
Definition
phrasal verb. to say numbers out loud in a sequence to check how many people or things are in a group.
phrasal verb. to recite numbers in a series to verify a total or to assign individuals to specific subgroups.
Examples
“The teacher asked the students to count off by twos.”
“Before boarding the bus, the tour guide had everyone count off to ensure no one was left behind.”
“The sergeant commanded the platoon to count off, ensuring every soldier was present and accounted for before the drill commenced.”
Examples
simple
“The teacher asked the students to count off by twos.”
contextual
“Before boarding the bus, the tour guide had everyone count off to ensure no one was left behind.”
complex
“The sergeant commanded the platoon to count off, ensuring every soldier was present and accounted for before the drill commenced.”
Usage
often used with 'by' to indicate the interval, such as 'count off by threes'.
Teaching tip
this is a common classroom management phrase; distinguish it from 'count on' (rely) or 'count out' (exclude).
Pitfall
They counted off them.
They counted them off.
when using a pronoun as the object, it must go between the verb and the particle.
Phrasal verb
Particles
off
Separability
optional
Pattern
count + (object) + off
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/count-off