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Grammar fix

see off

say goodbye at departure

To go with someone to the place where they are leaving, such as an airport or station, to say goodbye to them.

phrasal verbB1occasional

Hear it in context

Notice where the phrase sounds natural.

  • We went to the train station to see our friend off before her trip to Paris.daily life
  • When my brother moved abroad for university, my whole family went to see him off at the airport. It was an emotional moment for all of us.IELTS speaking

Fix the pattern

Pattern: see sb off

WrongWe saw off her at the station.

RightWe saw her off at the station.

With a pronoun, the object goes in the middle: 'see her off'.

Patternsee sb off

Use it right

Choose the version that sounds natural in speech.

Stiff We accompanied her to the airport to bid her farewell.

Natural We went to the airport to see her off.

'See off' is the natural verb for saying goodbye at a departure; 'bid farewell' is archaic.

Build natural chunks

Words that usually travel with it.

  • see + someone + off
    her offthe guests offoff at the airportoff at the station

Don't confuse it

'See off' is different from just saying goodbye at home; it means you actually go to the place where the person is leaving.

Try it in Daily Speak →