Prepositions - Off
1. Off indicates movement from one place to another.
Pattern 1: verb + off + noun
The car ran off the road.
We got off the train in New Orleans.
Verbs used with this pattern:
blow, come, dive, drive, fall, get, go, hop, jump, limp, move, roll, run, slide, slip, walk
Expression:
to be off (adverb)�to leave
It's late, so we must be off.
Pattern 2: verb + noun + off + noun
They shoveled the snow off the driveway.
Verbs used with this pattern:
blow, brush, clean, clear, drive, get, move, pull, push, roll, run, scrape, shove, shovel, slide, slip, sweep, take, wash
2. Off can indicate separation.
Pattern: verb + off + noun
She cut off her beautiful long hair.
Verbs commonly used with this meaning:
break, chop, cut, pick, pull, saw, send, shave, take, tear, throw
3. Off means connected to or not far from.
Pattern: be + off + noun
Our street is off Main Street.
Typical nouns after off:
beach, coast, highway, island, road, street, turnpike
4. Off can indicate behavior that is not as usual or no longer true.
Pattern 1: be/go + off + 0 noun
The children are off school today.
I'm glad your cousin finally went off drugs.
Nouns commonly used with this meaning:
alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, duty, school, work
Pattern 2: be/go + off + one�s + noun
She went off her diet again.
Typical nouns:
diet, medication, medicine, pills
Expressions:
to be off course�to be going (or thinking) in the wrong direction
We got lost, and were off course for about three hours.
They got off course while doing the research, and wasted a lot of time.
Pattern 1: verb + off + noun
The car ran off the road.
We got off the train in New Orleans.
Verbs used with this pattern:
blow, come, dive, drive, fall, get, go, hop, jump, limp, move, roll, run, slide, slip, walk
Expression:
to be off (adverb)�to leave
It's late, so we must be off.
Pattern 2: verb + noun + off + noun
They shoveled the snow off the driveway.
Verbs used with this pattern:
blow, brush, clean, clear, drive, get, move, pull, push, roll, run, scrape, shove, shovel, slide, slip, sweep, take, wash
2. Off can indicate separation.
Pattern: verb + off + noun
She cut off her beautiful long hair.
Verbs commonly used with this meaning:
break, chop, cut, pick, pull, saw, send, shave, take, tear, throw
3. Off means connected to or not far from.
Pattern: be + off + noun
Our street is off Main Street.
Typical nouns after off:
beach, coast, highway, island, road, street, turnpike
4. Off can indicate behavior that is not as usual or no longer true.
Pattern 1: be/go + off + 0 noun
The children are off school today.
I'm glad your cousin finally went off drugs.
Nouns commonly used with this meaning:
alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, duty, school, work
Pattern 2: be/go + off + one�s + noun
She went off her diet again.
Typical nouns:
diet, medication, medicine, pills
Expressions:
to be off course�to be going (or thinking) in the wrong direction
We got lost, and were off course for about three hours.
They got off course while doing the research, and wasted a lot of time.
