Vocabulary
Count, do, drop
Study the following vocabulary.
My brother did not like school, so when he was 15 he decided to drop out and join the circus. He figured that he could do withoutan education, because he would be able to count on all of the interesting circus people to help him find work if he needed it. He wondered what he would be able to do with an education that he wouldn’t be able to do with his interesting experiences. Of course, my mother was very upset because she believed that not having a degree would count against him during job interviews. They fought, and when they could not agree they stopped speaking to each other. Then one day, a few years later, my brother dropped by to drop off some clown makeup for my Halloween costume. My mother saw how happy he was, and she asked if they could dothe last few years over again. Now they have done away with most of the bad memories, and everyone in my family is happy together!
do without – to manage without
If you can’t afford a car, you will just have to do without.
do away with – to get rid of something
They’ve done away with uniforms at our school.
count on – to rely on
I’m counting on your support.
count against – to be a disadvantage
I’m sure that being late for the interview counted against me.
count towards – to be included as a part of something you hope to obtain or achieve
Marks from this test count towards your final grade.
do over – to do again, to redo
Your handwriting is too messy, you should do your homework over.
do with – used in negatives and questions to talk about where someone has put something; to find a use for something or a reason for having it
What have you done with my shoes?
I don’t know what a six year old child is even doing with a mobile phone.
drop by / in – to pay a short informal visit
I just dropped by to check and see how you were feeling.
Please feel free to drop in any time you need to talk
drop off – to deliver something (often when you are on your way somewhere else)
She dropped off some clothes at the dry cleaners.
drop out – to stop taking part in an activity, to leave before finishing
She had to drop out of the race halfway through because she hurt her foot.