When people decide that a planned event will not happen, they can call it off.

The idea

In neutral everyday English, call off means cancel. A noun can follow the particle or go between the words: call off the match or call the match off. A pronoun goes between them: call it off.

Examples

  • The coach called off the match because of the storm.
  • Maya called the picnic off when the rain began.
  • The meeting is tomorrow, but we may call it off.
  • They called off their trip after the bridge closed.
  • Please call the appointment off before noon.
  • If too few people register, the organisers will call it off.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic English voice on your device. Quality and availability vary; it does not assess pronunciation.

Watch out

Do not say call off it: the pronoun must come before off. Cancelling an event does not by itself mean scheduling it for another day.

Try it yourself

  1. Choose the correct option. The festival was cancelled, so they called it ___. (off / on)

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    off

    off completes the expression for cancelling the festival.

  2. Choose the correct option. The concert cannot happen. Please call ___ off. (it / off it)

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    it

    it refers to the concert and fits before the particle.

  3. Choose the correct option. Yesterday, the school ___ off the outdoor class. (called / calls)

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    called

    called fits the time marker yesterday.

Use it today

Describe a plan you might call off and explain why.