Meaning trap
drop out
leave school or a course early
To stop attending school, college, or a course before you have finished it.
phrasal verbB1common
Don't mix these meanings
Same phrase, different job.
leave school or a course early
To stop attending school, college, or a course before you have finished it.
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
- He decided to drop out of university after his first year.study
- If I could change one thing about my education, I would make it easier for students who drop out to return and finish their studies.IELTS speaking
Fix the pattern
Pattern: drop out (of something)
WrongHe dropped out from school.
RightHe dropped out of school.
'Drop out OF' — not 'from'.
Patterndrop out (of something)
Use it right
Choose the version that sounds natural in speech.
'Discontinued his studies prematurely' is formal; 'drop out' is the everyday verb.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
drop outof schoolof collegeof the coursehalfway through
Don't confuse it
Not the same as 'give up', which means to stop trying, or 'drop off', which means to fall asleep or deliver something.