Meaning trap
knock down
demolish (a building or structure)
To destroy a building or structure so that it falls to the ground.
Don't mix these meanings
Same phrase, different job.
To destroy a building or structure so that it falls to the ground.
Another meaning of 'knock down' is 'hit and make fall'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
They knocked down the old cinema to build a new shopping center.
In my hometown, many old buildings have been knocked down to make space for modern apartments.
Fix the pattern
One small grammar move makes it sound right.
Not: The old house was knocked down to the ground.
Say: The old house was knocked down.
'Knock down' already means flatten — 'to the ground' is redundant.
Which sounds natural?
Tap the one a native speaker would say.
'Knock down' is the everyday verb for demolishing a building. 'Demolish' is fine but more formal/technical.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
knock down
- the wall
- the building
- the old house
- the garage
Don't confuse it
Related
Other meanings and phrases to compare.
- knock down (hit and make fall) — Another meaning of 'knock down' is 'hit and make fall'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.