Fall apart means to break into pieces: about old things, and figuratively about plans, relationships or a company. About a person, it means to be unable to cope emotionally after a hard blow.
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thing/plan/relationship + falls apart; be falling apart; person + falls apart (= can't cope emotionally)
- These trainers are only a year old, but they're already falling apart.
- Our plans for the weekend fell apart when the car broke down.
- After he lost his job, he fell apart for a while, but his friends helped him.
What changed
First versionMy old backpack fell apart on parts at the airport.
RevisionMy old backpack fell apart at the airport.
Apart itself means “into pieces, separately”, so fall apart already contains the idea of breaking into parts. On parts adds nothing, and English doesn't use this phrase at all. Remove it, and the sentence sounds natural.
Break down means to stop working: about a car or a machine. Fall apart means to break up from age or wear. My car broke down means it stopped and won't go. My car is falling apart means it's old and bits are coming off as you drive.
Your turn
Our holiday plans ___ when the airline cancelled every flight that week.
Show the answer
fell apart — The plans collapsed: fell apart. Fell down means “fell to the ground”, and people don't say it about plans.
Describe something of yours that fell to pieces, or a plan that fell through. Say what happened and why.
My favourite umbrella fell apart last winter because a strong wind bent all its spokes.
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