The double prepositional phrase “off of” might receive a red pen strikeout from an editor, but this common quirk has cemented itself in American English. Just think of Frankie Valli belting out “You’re just too good to be true / Can’t take my eyes off of you.” If a careful editor critiqued the lyrics of this 1960s ballad, they might consider trimming “of,” labeling it redundant. But let’s consider its charm.
Merriam-Webster recognizes “off of” as a valid idiom, noting its relevancy in speech where it typically functions like “off,” as in, “I’d like to get off of the bus.” This usage dates to the mid-16th century. Before then, in Old English, “off” was established as a stronger version of the adverb “of.” Their pairing, with “of” as a helper or intensifier for “off,” is used out of habit or to create rhythm.
Since the 1990s, there has been an increase in this usage in the U.S., likely reflecting its relevance in digital writing. In an additional function, “off of” operates much like “from.” Consider “I got the quote off of Facebook” as a casual version of “I got the quote from Facebook.”
“Off of” is also used as an informal replacement for “on” in “based on.” Seton Hill University English professor Dr. Jerz wrote in a blog post that he wouldn’t correct students for saying “based off of” in class, but he does flag it in written work. He recognizes it as a natural evolution of language: “I suspect in another generation only the most linguistically conservative will bother to notice, much less correct, this usage.”
So, while “off of” is grammatically redundant and can almost always be shortened, it is not incorrect. If you’re a meticulous writer, feel free to omit the superfluous “of,” just as the editors at the MLA Style Center recommend. However, keep in mind that this might sound unnatural in informal contexts, as it undermines a staple of colloquial American English.
More from our network
Word Smarts is part of Inbox Studio, which publishes content that uplifts, informs, and inspires.
