Phrasal Verb: Put off

Phrasal verbs are like a small team. They have a verb and a particle. Here, the verb is put. The particle is off. Separately, they mean different things. Put usually means to place something. Off usually means away from a surface. But together, they create a brand new meaning. They mean "to do something at a later time". This is a "separable" phrasal verb. This means you can put words in the middle. You can say put off the meeting. You can also say put the meeting off. Both are 100% correct. It is like a grammar sandwich! You can put the filling in the middle or at the end. Just remember that the meaning stays the same. It is all about moving your plans to the future.

1. 1Using put off is quite simple. Follow these steps to build your sentences:
2. 2Start with the person doing the action. (Example: I, She, We)
3. 3Add the verb put. (Example: I put, He puts)
4. 4Choose your object. This is the task you are delaying.
5. 5Place off after the verb or after the object.
6. 6Here are the three main shapes for this rule:
7. 7Subject + put + off + Noun: I put off my homework.
8. 8Subject + put + Noun + off: I put my homework off.
9. 9Subject + put + Pronoun + off: I put it off. (Note: You must put it or them in the middle!)
10. 10Subject + put + off + Verb-ing: I put off washing my car.

Use this phrase when you are talking about time. It is perfect for work scenarios. Imagine your boss asks for a report. You are too busy today. You tell your boss, "I need to put off the report until Tuesday." It sounds professional but not too stiff. You can also use it for social life. Maybe you are tired and don't want to go to dinner. You can put off the dinner with your friend. It is also great for habits. Do you put off going to the gym? We all do! Use it when you feel lazy or when you are truly busy. It works for meetings, chores, appointments, and even difficult conversations. It is the ultimate word for procrastinators everywhere. Yes, even teachers put off grading papers sometimes!

Do not use put off if you are canceling something forever. If the event is never happening, use cancel or call off. Put off always implies you will do it later. Also, do not use it for physical movement. If you want to move a book to a shelf, do not say put off. Say put away. Another tricky spot is feelings. At A1 level, focus on the "delay" meaning. Put off can also mean "to make someone lose interest." For example, "The smell of the food put me off." This is more advanced. For now, stick to schedules and tasks. Keep it simple and you will be fine. Think of it like a grammar traffic light. Green means delay, red means stop using it for physical objects.

Many people make the same few mistakes. First, don't forget the -ing. If you use another verb after put off, it must have -ing. Do not say I put off to clean. Say I put off cleaning. It feels weird at first, but you will get used to it. Second, watch your pronouns. You cannot say I put off it. That sounds very strange to a native speaker. You must say I put it off. The word it loves being in the middle of the sandwich. Third, remember the past tense. The past tense of put is still put. It does not change to putted. So, Yesterday, I put off my exam is correct. It is a very easy verb to remember because it stays the same!

Let's compare put off with call off. These sound similar but are opposites. If you put off a wedding, you move it to next month. If you call off a wedding, there is no wedding! One is a delay, the other is a cancellation. Also, compare it to postpone. Postpone is very formal. You use it in big business contracts or news reports. Put off is what you say to your friends or coworkers. It is much more common in daily speech. Finally, look at delay. Delay is often used when things are out of your control, like a flight. Put off is usually a choice you make. You decide to do it later.