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Anonymous Posted 12 years ago
Vocabulary

alarm

Why does my alarm go "off" and then I hit snooze and turn it "off"? Shouldn't it go on and I turn it off?
  

Top answer

Yes the alarm is turning on, but "go off" is an expression which means to trigger, or activate. For example you could say that "the fireworks went off".

  • Yes the alarm is turning on, but "go off" is an expression which means to trigger, or activate.
  • For example you could say that "the fireworks went off".
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4 Answers
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Yes the alarm is turning on, but "go off" is an expression which means to trigger, or activate. For example you could say that "the fireworks went off".
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Hi,
The alarm "goes off" and then you turn it off. "Goes on" does not sound natural in that context.
Hamid
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I understand and use the expression as is. Are there other examples?
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Thanks. Is "sound natural" a true linguistic justification for this?

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