the lamp off

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "the lamp off" is not correct in standard written English.
It is typically used in contexts where one is indicating that the lamp is not turned on or is in the off position. Example: "Please make sure to turn the lamp off before leaving the room."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

When the moon comes out again, he turns the lamp off and we easily find the path we took through the dunes.

The New Yorker

It's pretty straightforward: you turn the lamp off by firing the gun at it, which simultaneously topples the shade.

TechCrunch

The guy posting the advert – i.e. the dude in the bed opposite you, reading with a nightlight until 11PM exactly, at which point he silently locks eyes with you, removes his glasses and flicks the lamp off, tossing you instantly into darkness – actually seems quite sound, usage of the word "deposito" aside.

Vice

By accident he knocks the lamp off the night table.

The New Yorker

A gravity switch turns the lamp off when it is gently knocked down.

The New York Times

Conversely, stress recovery takes place during the lamp off cycle, a response which corresponds to contraction of polymer films and occurs as the merocyanine undergoes ring closure to the more constrained spiro form.

ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

You should plug a lamp (test it first) into the outlet that you intend to change and then turn off the circuit breaker to make the lamp go off.

WikiHow

First, if your booklet says to keep your lamp off in the night, it is best if you ditch this rule.

WikiHow

During the day, when the luminaires were turned on, an additional layer of control was added by installing a passive infrared (PIR) motion sensor (OSFHU-ITW High Bay Occupancy Sensor; Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc., Melville, NY, USA) directly onto each luminaire, automatically turning the lamps off after 20 minutes without detection of occupant movement.

Clinical interventions in aging

The presence was still detected, the lamp was off and the shutter was opened.

Journal of Internet Services and Applications

The reaction stopped when the lamp turned off 5 min later.

Bioresources and Bioprocessing

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing the state of a lamp, use the phrase "the lamp is off" or "the lamp is on" to be grammatically correct.

Common error

Avoid omitting the auxiliary verb 'is' when describing the state of a lamp. Saying "the lamp off" sounds incomplete. Instead, use "the lamp is off."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "the lamp off" functions primarily as a noun phrase with an adjective. While understandable in certain contexts, it lacks the necessary auxiliary verb for complete grammatical correctness, as noted by Ludwig AI.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

30%

Wiki

30%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "the lamp off" is understandable, it's grammatically incorrect because it omits the auxiliary verb 'is'. Ludwig AI indicates that a more correct way is to say "the lamp is off". This phrase is used to describe that the lamp is not illuminated. Though relatively uncommon, "the lamp off" appears in informal contexts across diverse categories like news, science and wikis. For proper usage, always remember to include the auxiliary verb or rephrase using active voice like 'turn off the lamp'.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

turn the lamp off

Adds the verb 'turn' to specify the action of switching the lamp off.

switch the lamp off

Uses 'switch' as a synonym for 'turn', indicating the same action.

the lamp is off

Expresses the state of the lamp being in the off position.

the lamp turned off

Indicates that the lamp has already been switched off.

lamp is not on

Focuses on the lamp not being in the state of illumination.

lamp is unlit

Uses 'unlit' to describe that the lamp isn't emitting light.

the off lamp

Adjective placement change to clarify that "the lamp is already turned off."

power off the lamp

The expression implies cutting off the power supply.

extinguish the lamp

Provides a more formal way to state the lamp is shut down.

deactivate the lamp

Emphasizes the technical aspect of shutting the lamp down.

FAQs

How to properly use "the lamp off" in a sentence?

While not grammatically standard, the phrase "the lamp off" can sometimes be understood in informal contexts. A more correct way to use it is "the lamp is off" or "turn off the lamp".

What's a grammatically correct alternative to "the lamp off"?

Instead of "the lamp off", use "the lamp is off" to describe the lamp's state or "turn off the lamp" to describe an action.

Is it correct to say "the lamp off" instead of "the lamp is off"?

No, it's not grammatically correct. The correct phrase is "the lamp is off", which includes the necessary auxiliary verb "is".

When should I use "the lamp is off" versus "turn off the lamp"?

"The lamp is off" describes the lamp's current state. "Turn off the lamp" is an instruction or action to switch the lamp to the off position.