Page 292 - English Grammar in Use

Unit
140 Phrasal verbs 4 on/off (1)

A on and off for lights, machines etc.
We say:
the light is on / put the light on / leave the light on etc.
turn the light on/off or switch the light on/off

Shall I leave the lights on or turn them off?
‘Is the heating on?’ ‘No, I switched it off.’
also
put (music, a song) on, put the kettle on:
Let’s put some music on. What would you like to hear?
We need boiling water, so I’ll put the kettle on.

B on and off for events etc.
go on = happen
What’s all that noise? What’s going on? (= what’s happening)
call something off = cancel it
The concert in the park had to be called off because of the weather.

put something off, put off doing something = delay it
The election has been put off until January.
We can’t put off making a decision. We have to decide now.

C on and off for clothes etc.
put on clothes, glasses, make-up, a seat belt etc.
My hands were cold, so I put my gloves on.
put on weight = get heavier
I’ve put on two kilos in the last month.
try on clothes (to see if they fit)
I tried on a jacket in the shop, but it didn’t look right.

take off clothes, glasses etc.
It was warm, so I took off my coat.

D off = away from a person or place
be off (to a place)
Tomorrow I’m off to Paris. / I’m off on holiday.
(= I’m going to Paris / I’m going on holiday)
walk off / run off / drive off / ride off / go off (similar to walk away / run away etc.)
Anna got on her bike and rode off.
Mark left home at the age of eighteen and went off to Canada.
set off = start a journey
We set off early to avoid the traffic. (= We left early)
take off = leave the ground (for planes)
After a long delay, the plane finally took off.
see somebody off = go with them to the airport/station to say goodbye
Helen was going away. We went to the station with her to see her off.

280 Phrasal verbs 1 (Introduction) ➜ Unit 137 More verbs + on/off ➜ Unit 141