What Does “Move sb on” Mean?
“Move sb on” is a phrasal verb that means to ask or help someone to leave a place, usually because they should not stay there or because it’s time to go.
Introduction
The phrase “Move sb on” is commonly used in English when referring to situations where someone is encouraged or instructed to leave a location. This can happen in various contexts, such as security guards asking people to leave a building, event staff managing crowds, or even friends suggesting it’s time to go somewhere else. Understanding the move sb on meaning helps learners use it naturally and appropriately. It is a useful expression to describe polite or firm ways of asking someone to move away or continue their journey.
Quick Info Box
- Phrasal verb: move somebody on
- Type: transitive
- Level: B2
- Short meaning: to ask or make someone leave a place
Structure (Grammar Rules)
“Move sb on” is a separable phrasal verb. You can place the object (somebody) between “move” and “on,” or after the entire phrase.
- Move somebody on
- Move on somebody
Example patterns:
- Subject + move + somebody + on
- Subject + move on + somebody
How to Use “Move sb on”?
You use “move sb on” when you want to describe the action of asking someone to leave or continue moving. It is often used in security, customer service, or social settings. The phrase is polite but can be firm depending on the context. It is mostly used in everyday conversation and informal writing.
Examples
Here are some sentences with “move sb on” in natural contexts:
- The security guard moved the crowd on after the concert ended.
- Staff at the museum moved visitors on to the next exhibit.
- When the park closed, the ranger moved everyone on politely.
- He was asked to move on by the police because he was blocking the sidewalk.
- The teacher moved the students on to the next activity quickly.
These examples show how “move sb on in a sentence” fits different situations.
Common Mistakes
People sometimes confuse the word order or use the phrase incorrectly. Here are some examples:
- Incorrect: The guard moved on the people.
- Correct: The guard moved the people on.
- Incorrect: Please move on the visitors.
- Correct: Please move the visitors on.
Remember, “move” and “on” can be separated by the object (somebody).
Differences / Synonyms
“Move sb on” is similar to “ask sb to leave” or “get sb to go.” However, it is more informal and often used in spoken English. Other phrasal verbs like “shoo sb away” are more forceful, while “move sb along” can mean the same but sometimes implies moving someone within a place, not necessarily leaving it.
- Move sb on: politely ask someone to leave or continue moving
- Shoo sb away: more forceful, telling someone to leave immediately
- Move sb along: encourage someone to keep moving, not necessarily leave
Common Collocations
Some common words used with “move sb on” include:
- Crowd – a group of people moved on from an area
- Visitor – someone asked to leave or continue moving
- Customer – in shops or restaurants, asked to move on
- Person – general use for anyone asked to leave
- Students – in classrooms, moved on to next activity
Related Phrasal Verbs
Here are related phrasal verbs of move sb on:
Real-life Dialogue
Here is a short conversation using “move sb on”:
Security guard: Sorry, folks, the event is over. We need to move you on now.
Visitor: Okay, no problem. Thanks for letting us know.
Practice
Fill in the blanks with the correct form of “move sb on”:
- The police ______ the protesters ______ after the demonstration ended.
- Staff at the gallery ______ the visitors ______ to the next room.
- The teacher quickly ______ the class ______ to finish the lesson on time.
FAQs
- What does “move sb on” mean? It means to ask or help someone to leave a place.
- Is “move sb on” formal or informal? It is mostly informal and used in spoken English.
- Can you separate the phrasal verb? Yes, “move” and “on” can be separated by the object.
- Is “move sb on” the same as “shoo sb away”? No, “shoo sb away” is more forceful.
- Where can I use “move sb on”? In situations like security, customer service, or social settings.
