Meaning trap

cut out

remove something by cutting

To remove a part of something by cutting it away, often with scissors or a knife.

phrasal verbB1common

Don't mix these meanings

Same phrase, different job.

remove something by cutting

To remove a part of something by cutting it away, often with scissors or a knife.

cut out (stop doing or eating something (usually for health reasons))

Another meaning of 'cut out' is 'stop doing or eating something (usually for health reasons)'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.

Notice where the phrase sounds natural.

She cut out a picture from the magazine for her project.study
In art class, we were asked to cut out different shapes from colored paper to make a collage.IELTS speaking

Pattern: cut out + noun

WrongCut out it carefully.

RightCut it out carefully.

With a pronoun, the object goes in the middle: 'cut it out'.

Patterncut out + noun

Choose the version that sounds natural in speech.

Stiff Please excise the picture from the magazine using scissors.

Natural Just cut the picture out of the magazine.

'Cut out' is the plain verb; 'excise' is surgical/technical and odd for craft.

Words that usually travel with it.

'Cut out' (remove by cutting) is different from 'cut off', which usually means to remove the whole end or section.

cut out (stop doing or eating something (usually for health reasons)) — Another meaning of 'cut out' is 'stop doing or eating something (usually for health reasons)'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.