Go off

Go off

Today we’re going to talk about the phrasal verb “go off.” This is a perfect example of why phrasal verbs are so difficult, I think, because “go” and “off” are such simple easy little words, but they combine to make a phrase that has nothing to do with either word individually. You heard that phrasal verb twice—I said that the Washington, DC fireworks go off in an area known as the National Mall, and that on the Fourth of July in my neighborhood, you can hear and see fireworks going off all night long.

In this case, it means to explode or to fire . When fireworks go off, they explode in the air. When a gun goes off, the gun fires. When a bomb explodes , you can say the bomb went off. Sometimes I come home, and it looks like a bomb went off in my living room—it’s a joke, meaning that it’s very disorganized and stuff is laying around everywhere . It looks like a bomb went off.

So now you know that to go off, in that sense, means to explode or to fire, like a gun. But that is not the most common use of “go off.” I would say the most common use of “go off” is to describe when an alarm or other type of warning system makes a loud noise . What time does your alarm go off in the morning? For me, most mornings my alarm goes off between 6:00 and 6:30. What happens if you’re cooking breakfast and it gets a little smoky ? Maybe you’re over-cooking the sausage or left the toast in the toaster too long? The fire alarm goes off. If you set a timer for three minutes to remind yourself not to over-cook your eggs , then your timer will go off after three minutes. If someone tries to break into your car or house, your car alarm or burglar alarm might go off—if you have one.

Enjoy your July 4. If you’re in America, have a hot dog. Have 72 hot dogs if you want—just be safe with your fireworks, don’t do anything foolish, and have fun with friends and family. Remember we will have a regular episode again on Friday, followed by another weekly recap of World Cup action on Monday, July 9.