set off for — to start a journey to a place
phrasal verbB1IELTS 5+neutralcommon
to begin traveling to a particular destination.
Say it like a native
Textbook We shall commence our journey towards the coast at dawn.
Native We set off for the coast at dawn.
Natural; 'commence our journey towards' is archaic.
Pattern: set off for + place
In use
- We set off for Paris early in the morning to avoid traffic.travel
- Last summer, my friends and I set off for the mountains to go hiking, and it was an unforgettable experience.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ We set off to the airport early.
✓ We set off for the airport early.
'Set off FOR' a destination (set off TO + verb is also fine: 'set off to find it').
Common collocations
set off for— for, home, early, the coast
Don't confuse it
'Set off' alone can mean to start a journey in general, but 'set off for' is used when you mention the destination.