Meaning trap
break out
escape
To escape from a place or situation, especially by force or secretly.
Don't mix these meanings
Same phrase, different job.
To escape from a place or situation, especially by force or secretly.
Another meaning of 'break out' is 'start suddenly'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
- Three prisoners tried to break out of jail last night.crime
- Some people believe that strict security makes it almost impossible to break out of modern prisons.IELTS speaking
Fix the pattern
Pattern: break out (of something)
WrongThey broke out from the prison.
RightThey broke out of the prison.
'Break out OF' a place, not 'from'.
Patternbreak out (of something)
Use it right
Choose the version that sounds natural in speech.
'Break out of' is the everyday verb; 'effected an escape from the facility' is absurdly formal.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
break out ofof jailof prisonof the campand escape
Don't confuse it
Not the same as 'break in' (to enter by force) or 'break up' (to end a relationship).
Related
- break out (start suddenly) — Another meaning of 'break out' is 'start suddenly'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.