Em 15 segundos
- Use it to cancel a planned event or activity.
- It is separable: you can say 'call it off'.
- Commonly used for meetings, weddings, and sports matches.
Significado
When you 'call off' something, you decide that a planned event or activity will no longer happen. It is like hitting the 'cancel' button on a meeting, a party, or even a wedding.
Exemplos-chave
3 de 6Bad weather for a game
The umpire had to call off the baseball game because of the heavy rain.
The umpire had to cancel the baseball game because of the heavy rain.
A work meeting
My boss called off the afternoon meeting so we could finish our reports.
My boss canceled the afternoon meeting so we could finish our reports.
Texting a friend about dinner
I'm so sorry, but I have to call off our dinner tonight; I'm feeling sick.
I'm so sorry, but I have to cancel our dinner tonight; I'm feeling sick.
Contexto cultural
Calling off a meeting at the last minute is generally accepted if a 'valid' reason is given, but it is polite to offer a 'make-up' time immediately. Calling off a wedding is a major life event that often involves returning gifts and formal announcements. It is seen as a brave but difficult decision. In many democratic countries, 'calling off a strike' is a sign of successful negotiation and compromise between workers and employers. In cricket or baseball, a game is 'called off' due to rain, which is a source of great frustration for fans who have traveled far.
The 'Off' Switch
Think of 'call off' like an 'off switch' for your plans. Once you call it off, the energy stops.
Pronoun Placement
Never say 'call off it'. It sounds very strange to native speakers. Always 'call it off'.
Em 15 segundos
- Use it to cancel a planned event or activity.
- It is separable: you can say 'call it off'.
- Commonly used for meetings, weddings, and sports matches.
What It Means
Call off is a phrasal verb that simply means to cancel. Think of it as a verbal eraser. You had a plan written in your calendar, but now it is gone. It is very common in daily life. You use it when plans change suddenly.
How To Use It
This phrase is 'separable.' This means you can put the object in the middle. You can say call off the meeting. You can also say call the meeting off. If you use a pronoun like it, you must put it in the middle: call it off. It is easy to use in different tenses. Yesterday, you called off the game. Today, you are calling it off because of rain.
When To Use It
Use it for events that were already scheduled. It works for work meetings or doctor appointments. It is perfect for social events like dinners or concerts. You also use it for sports. If the field is muddy, the referee will call off the match. It is also used for searches. If a lost cat is found, the police call off the search. Use it when you need to be clear and direct.
When NOT To Use It
Do not use it for permanent things like a job. You do not call off a job; you quit or get fired. Do not use it for people. You do not call off a friend unless you mean a planned hangout. Also, avoid it for very small actions. You do not call off eating a sandwich. You just don't eat it! It is for organized events.
Cultural Background
In English-speaking cultures, 'calling off' a wedding is a huge deal. It is a common trope in movies and TV shows. It implies a dramatic, last-minute change of heart. Historically, the phrase comes from 'calling' or shouting to someone to stop an action. Imagine a captain shouting to his dogs to stop chasing something. You are literally 'calling' the event 'off' the schedule.
Common Variations
Sometimes people say cancel, but call off feels more natural in speech. You might hear call it a day, which is different. That means stopping work because you are tired. Another variation is postpone. That means moving it to a later time. Call off is final. Once it is called off, it is dead and buried. Make sure you really want to cancel before you use it!
Notas de uso
It is a neutral, everyday phrasal verb. It is safe to use with your boss, your friends, or your mother-in-law. Just remember the word order with pronouns!
The 'Off' Switch
Think of 'call off' like an 'off switch' for your plans. Once you call it off, the energy stops.
Pronoun Placement
Never say 'call off it'. It sounds very strange to native speakers. Always 'call it off'.
Passive Voice
Use 'The [event] was called off' to sound more professional in emails.
Exemplos
6The umpire had to call off the baseball game because of the heavy rain.
The umpire had to cancel the baseball game because of the heavy rain.
Used here for a sporting event due to external factors.
My boss called off the afternoon meeting so we could finish our reports.
My boss canceled the afternoon meeting so we could finish our reports.
A very common office usage.
I'm so sorry, but I have to call off our dinner tonight; I'm feeling sick.
I'm so sorry, but I have to cancel our dinner tonight; I'm feeling sick.
Polite way to cancel social plans via text.
She decided to call off the wedding just two days before the ceremony!
She decided to cancel the wedding just two days before the ceremony!
This is the most 'dramatic' way to use the phrase.
Hey! Call off your dog! He’s scaring the mailman!
Hey! Stop your dog! He’s scaring the mailman!
This uses the more literal sense of stopping an animal or person from attacking.
The rescue team called off the search once the sun went down.
The rescue team stopped the search once the sun went down.
Used for official operations or searches.
Teste-se
Fill in the blank with the correct form of 'call off'.
The weather was terrible, so they decided to ______ the outdoor concert.
After 'decided to', we use the base form of the verb.
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
The meeting was boring, so...
When the object is a pronoun (it), it must go between 'call' and 'off'.
Match the situation to the correct use of 'call off'.
A search for a missing person is stopped because of a storm.
'Call off the search' is the standard phrase for emergency operations.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Are we still going to the beach? B: No, the car broke down. We have to ______.
We use 'it' to refer to the trip to the beach.
🎉 Pontuação: /4
Recursos visuais
Banco de exercicios
4 exerciciosThe weather was terrible, so they decided to ______ the outdoor concert.
After 'decided to', we use the base form of the verb.
The meeting was boring, so...
When the object is a pronoun (it), it must go between 'call' and 'off'.
A search for a missing person is stopped because of a storm.
'Call off the search' is the standard phrase for emergency operations.
A: Are we still going to the beach? B: No, the car broke down. We have to ______.
We use 'it' to refer to the trip to the beach.
🎉 Pontuação: /4
Perguntas frequentes
5 perguntasNo, you don't 'call off' a person. You 'break up' with them or 'cancel' on them. You only 'call off' an event like a date or a wedding.
It is neutral. It is perfectly fine for both business meetings and hanging out with friends.
'Call off' usually means the event is cancelled and might not happen at all. 'Postpone' means it will definitely happen at a later time.
Yes! It's a common idiom meaning 'I told my team to stop being so aggressive or critical'.
It is 'called off'. 'Call' is a regular verb, so you just add '-ed'.
Frases relacionadas
call back
similarTo return a phone call.
call out
contrastTo challenge or criticize someone.
put off
similarTo postpone something.
call it a day
builds onTo stop working for the day.
