Be off means to leave or set off somewhere: I'm off means 'I'm going now', and I'm off to Spain means you're leaving for Spain. The second meaning is not being at work: I'm off tomorrow means tomorrow is your day off, and she's off sick means she's at home ill. It's everyday spoken English, especially common in Britain.
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I'm off (now); be off to + place; be off home; be off (work/sick) + today/on Friday
- Right, I'm off to the station. I'll text you when I get on the train.
- Anna is off sick today, so I'm covering her morning classes.
- I'm off on Friday, so let's move our call to Thursday afternoon.
What changed
First versionIt's getting late, so I'm off to home. See you on Monday!
RevisionIt's getting late, so I'm off home. See you on Monday!
After verbs of movement, home means 'to your home' and needs no preposition: go home, get home, be off home. To is used before the name of a place: I'm off to the station, off to Spain. It's easy to put to before home by analogy with those. Here you simply drop it.
Off sick is British. In American English, people more often say out sick: She's out sick today. A single free day is a day off, so I'm off tomorrow means the same as I have a day off tomorrow.
Your turn
I can't join Friday's call: I've booked a long weekend, so I'm ___ that day.
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off — You've booked a long weekend, so you won't be working on Friday: I'm off that day. On would mean the opposite: you'd be at work that day, and there'd be no reason to miss the call.
Write a message in your work chat: you need to step out for a while. Use be off, say where you're going and what time you'll be back.
I'm off to the dentist now, but I'll be back at my desk by three.
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