count on + person/thing
Relying on someone or something
Use count on to mean depend on or trust.
We count on her expertise.
They counted on good weather.
Count with different prepositions
Different prepositions after count create different meanings. Count on means rely on, while count as means consider or classify.
Quick answer
Which prepositions are used with count?
Use count on for reliance, count for for importance or inclusion, and count as for classification. Count in means include someone or something. Count towards refers to contributing to a total or goal.
You can count on me.
Experience counts for a lot.
The course counts towards your degree.
This activity counts as work experience.
Experience counts for a lot.
The course counts towards your degree.
This activity counts as work experience.
Choose the pattern by meaning
These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.
count for + result/value
Showing importance or contribution
Use count for when something matters or contributes to a result.
Teamwork counts for more than individual talent.
Attendance counts for 20 percent of the grade.
count as + role/category
Classifying something
Use count as to describe how something is regarded or classified.
This training counts as professional development.
The meal counted as a business expense.
count in + person
Including someone
Use count in to include someone in a plan or activity.
If you are ordering tickets, count me in.
They counted her in for the project.
count towards + goal/total
Contributing to a target
Use count towards when something contributes to a total, qualification, or goal.
These credits count towards graduation.
Volunteer hours count towards the award.
See the difference in context
The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.
Construction
Example
Meaning
count on
I count on him for technical support.
rely on someone or something
count for
Practical skills count for a lot in this job.
have importance or contribute
count as
Does this internship count as experience?
be considered or classified as
count in
You can count me in for the conference.
include someone
count towards
The workshop counts towards your certification.
contribute to a required total or goal
Common mistakes
Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.
Confusing count on and count as
Count on means rely on, while count as means classify.
✕ We count as her to finish the report. ✓ We count on her to finish the report.Using count towards for people
Count towards is used for goals, totals, and requirements, not people.
✕ I count towards my friends for support. ✓ I count on my friends for support.Quick practice
Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.
1. You can always ___ me in an emergency.
2. Class participation ___ 15 percent of the final grade.
3. These volunteer hours ___ your community service requirement.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between count on and count for?
Count on means rely on. Count for means matter or contribute to a result.
Can count as describe a category?
Yes. Count as is used to classify or regard something in a certain way.
Is count in informal?
Count me in is common and natural in informal spoken and written English.
Related preposition guides
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