What Does โReckon on sth doing sthโ Mean?
โReckon on sth doing sthโ means to expect or depend on something happening or someone doing something. It expresses a confident assumption about a future event or action.
Introduction
The phrase reckon on sth doing sth is commonly used in English to show that someone expects a particular result or action to occur. It often relates to plans or hopes based on a reasonable assumption. Understanding the reckon on sth doing sth meaning helps learners use it naturally in conversation and writing. This phrasal verb is useful when you want to talk about relying on something or someone to do a task or when you predict an outcome confidently.
Quick Info Box
- Phrasal verb: reckon on sth doing sth (e.g., reckon on the team winning)
- Type: Transitive
- Level: B2 (Upper-Intermediate)
- Short meaning: To expect or depend on something happening
Structure (Grammar Rules)
The phrase is inseparable, meaning you cannot place words between โreckon onโ and the object. The usual pattern is:
- reckon on + noun/pronoun + doing something
- Example: I reckon on her finishing the work on time.
Note: โsthโ stands for โsomethingโ and is used here to represent any noun or pronoun.
How to Use Reckon on sth doing sth?
Use โreckon on sth doing sthโ when you want to say you expect or rely on a particular action or event. It is often about plans, predictions, or assumptions based on experience or evidence. This phrase is common in both spoken and written English.
Examples
Here are some examples to show reckon on sth doing sth in a sentence:
- We reckon on the train arriving by 8 PM, so weโll be ready to pick you up.
- She reckons on the project taking two weeks to complete.
- They reckon on the weather staying fine for the outdoor event.
- I reckon on him helping with the presentation tomorrow.
- We didnโt reckon on the traffic causing such a delay.
Common Mistakes
Itโs easy to confuse this phrase with similar expressions. Sometimes learners place the object incorrectly or use the wrong verb form.
- Incorrect: I reckon on her to finish the work.
- Correct: I reckon on her finishing the work.
- Incorrect: They reckon on the weather will stay fine.
- Correct: They reckon on the weather staying fine.
Differences / Synonyms
Similar phrases include count on, depend on, and expect. However, reckon on sth doing sth specifically focuses on predicting or relying on an action happening.
- Count on: More informal, emphasizes trust or reliance.
- Depend on: Broader use, including conditions and necessity.
- Expect: Predicts but doesnโt always imply reliance.
Example: We reckon on him arriving early (prediction + reliance). We count on him to help (trust + reliance).
Common Collocations
People often use this phrase with nouns related to events, actions, or people. Here are some common collocations:
- Reckon on the team winning: Expect the team to win.
- Reckon on the project finishing: Depend on project completion.
- Reckon on the weather staying: Expect good weather.
- Reckon on someone helping: Rely on help from someone.
Related Phrasal Verbs
Here are related phrasal verbs of reckon on sth doing sth:
Real-life Dialogue
Here is a short conversation using โreckon on sth doing sthโ:
Anna: Do you reckon on the meeting finishing early?
John: Yes, I reckon on it ending by 3 PM so we can grab coffee.
Practice
Try filling in the blanks with the correct form of the verb:
- I reckon on the team __________ (win) the match tomorrow.
- She didnโt reckon on the plan __________ (fail) so quickly.
- We reckon on him __________ (arrive) before noon.
FAQ
- What does โreckon on sth doing sthโ mean? It means to expect or depend on something happening.
- Is โreckon onโ separable? No, it is inseparable and the object must follow directly.
- Can I use โreckon onโ with infinitives? No, it is followed by a gerund (-ing form).
- Is โreckon onโ formal? It is neutral and used in both formal and informal contexts.
- What are similar phrases? โCount on,โ โdepend on,โ and โexpectโ are similar but have slight differences.

