A driver takes a passenger somewhere and leaves them there; someone delivers a parcel while going elsewhere. Drop off is an informal expression often used for these short stops, usually involving a vehicle.

The idea

Use drop off the parcel / drop the parcel off, but drop it off and drop me off. Add a place such as at the shop or outside the station. Double p in dropped and dropping.

Examples

  • Can you drop me off outside the station?
  • Mina dropped off the parcel at the shop.
  • Mina dropped the parcel off at the shop.
  • We are dropping the children off at school.
  • Lea picked me up at nine and dropped me off at noon.
  • Omar dropped the documents off on his way to work.

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Watch out

Dropping a parcel off means delivering it, not letting it fall onto the floor. Picking someone up collects them; dropping them off leaves them at the destination. A drop-off need not involve a car in every context.

Try it yourself

  1. Choose the correct option. Can you drop ___ at the station? (me off / off me)

    Show answer or example answer

    me off

    The passenger pronoun me belongs between drop and off.

  2. Choose the correct option. Mina ___ the parcel off yesterday. (dropped / droped)

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    dropped

    The past form doubles p before -ed: dropped.

  3. Lea drove me to the station and left me there. Choose the action at the end of the ride. Lea ___ at the station. (picked me up / dropped me off)

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    dropped me off

    Lea takes the passenger to the station and leaves them there, so the action is dropped me off.

Use it today

Describe collecting a passenger and leaving them at a station. Then describe delivering a parcel on the way to another place. Use one noun object and one pronoun.