Vocabulary: fall

The verbs fall over, fall off, fall down and fall out  can be confused. This is a brief explanation to distinguish them:

 

1. Fall over- when you lose your balance or trip over something.

e.g. Mike fell over and broke his nose on the pavement. 

2. Fall off –when you detach/come off an objec.

e.g. Elle fell off the horse and ended up with a huge gash on her back. 

3. Fall down – you fall having contact with something.

e.g. The skier fell down the slope and broke his leg. 

4. Fall out.  To argue with somebody and stop having contact with him/her.

e.g. She'd fallen out with her boyfriend over his ex-girlfriend.