Out-of-Phrases — English Grammar Exercises
by mistake, on time, in advance — get the preposition right every time
Out-of-Phrases in English
'Out of' functions as a two-word preposition in fixed phrases. These expressions consistently carry the meaning of absence, exhaustion, or non-function — something that should be present or working is not. The most common error in this group is replacing 'of' with 'from' ('out from date', 'out from order'), which is always incorrect. According to Cambridge exam item analysis, 'out of order', 'out of date', and 'out of stock' are among the highest-frequency out-of phrases tested at B1–B2 level.
Core Out-of-Phrases
out of order — Sorry, the lift is out of order. Take the stairs.
out of stock — That item is currently out of stock. We expect more next week.
out of work — He's been out of work for six months.
out of the question — A pay rise? That's completely out of the question.
No Article in Fixed Phrases
'Out of date', 'out of order', and 'out of stock' take no article — they are fixed predicative phrases. Compare: 'an out-of-date passport' (attributive, hyphenated) vs 'the passport is out of date' (predicative, no article, no hyphen).
Common Mistakes
✗ The vending machine is out from order. → ✓ The vending machine is out of order.
✗ That's out from the question. → ✓ That's out of the question.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'on time' and 'in time'?
'On time' means punctual — at the exact scheduled moment: 'The train arrived on time.' 'In time' means not too late — with enough time to spare, often implying it was a close call: 'We arrived in time to catch the last train.' A useful test: if you can replace the phrase with 'punctually', use 'on time'. If you can replace it with 'just in time' or 'before it was too late', use 'in time'.
What is the difference between 'for sale' and 'on sale'?
'For sale' means available to buy at its normal price: 'Is this house for sale?' 'On sale' means available at a reduced, discounted price: 'Winter coats are on sale — 40% off.' In British English, 'on sale' can also simply mean 'available in shops', but in the context of a discount, both British and American English use 'on sale'.
Why do we say 'by mistake' but 'on purpose'?
These are fixed idiomatic expressions with no logical rule — they must be learned as units. 'By mistake' and 'by accident' both describe unintentional actions ('by' here expresses manner or means). 'On purpose' describes intentional action ('on' here is part of a fixed set phrase). Speakers of Russian often confuse these because the Russian phrase «по ошибке» (by mistake) and «намеренно» (on purpose) do not map onto English prepositions predictably.
What is the difference between 'at the end' and 'in the end'?
'At the end' requires 'of' and refers to the final point of a specific, identifiable thing: 'At the end of the film, everyone cried.' 'In the end' means eventually or after a long process of deliberation — no 'of' follows: 'In the end, we decided to stay home.' A simple test: if you can follow it with 'of [something]', use 'at'. If it means 'eventually' or 'after everything', use 'in'.