keep off — avoid touching or stepping on
phrasal verbB1IELTS 5+neutralcommon
to not walk on, touch, or go onto something, usually because it is not allowed or could be damaged.
Say it like a native
Textbook Pedestrians are requested not to walk upon the lawn.
Native Keep off the grass.
'Keep off' is the standard sign wording; the long version is officialese.
Pattern: keep off + noun
In use
- Please keep off the grass so it can grow properly.daily life
- In my city, there are many parks with signs asking people to keep off certain areas to protect the plants.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ Keep off from the grass.
✓ Keep off the grass.
'Keep off' + the surface directly — no 'from'.
Common collocations
keep off + surface— the grass, the road, the rocks, please
Don't confuse it
Not the same as 'keep away,' which means to stay at a distance, not just avoid touching.