Off and Of (Grammar Lesson)

The Quick Answer
What is the difference between off and of?

Off is the opposite of on. It is pronounced "OFF."

Of is most commonly used to show possession (e.g., an uncle of Mr. Jones) or to show what something is made of (e.g., a wall of ice). It is pronounced "OV."
Got it? Take a quick test.

What Is the Difference between Off and Of?

Writers are sometimes confused by the words of and off. As this confusion rarely occurs in speech, it can often be rectified simply by remembering how the words are pronounced.
  • Off is pronounced OFF
  • Of is pronounced OV
The words of and off are both prepositions. (Note: Here at Grammar Monster, we have found that explaining the grammatical functions of these words is not usually helpful because anyone who can understand the explanation rarely confuses the words.)

Using Of

Here are the most common uses of the word of. The word of is used:
  • To show possession
    • The hand of God
    • A part of me
  • To state what something is made of
    • A splinter of wood
    • A heart of gold
  • To show what something contains
    • A cup of coffee
    • A plate of figs
  • To show a point of reckoning
    • North of the wall
    • West of New York

Using Off

The word off is the opposite of the word on. For example:
  • Turn it on. Turn it off.
  • Put it on the table. Take it off the table.
The word off is commonly seen as part of a phrasal verb, which is a single verb made up of more than one word. A phrasal verb has a main verb and an accompanying word (like off). The accompanying word can be either a preposition or a particle (a type of adverb).

When the accompanying word introduces a prepositional phrase, it is classified as a preposition. When it does not, it is a particle. For example (phrasal verbs shaded):
  • Wipe that paint off the wall.
    • (In this example, the prepositional phrase is off the wall. The word off is a preposition.)
  • Stop showing off.
    • (Here, off is a particle.)

Don't Write Get Off Of

With verbs like to get off, to live off, and to go off, there is no need to add of. With these verbs (called phrasal verbs), the off acts as a preposition. There is no need to add your own preposition (i.e., don't write off of). For example:
  • Get off the table.
  • Get off of the table.

  • She lived off the land.
  • She lived off of the land.

  • She is going off you.
  • She is going off of you.
Interactive Test
 
 

See Also

adverse or averse? affect or effect? appraise or apprise? avenge or revenge? bare or bear? complement or compliment? dependant or dependent? discreet or discrete? disinterested or uninterested? e.g. or i.e.? envy or jealousy? imply or infer? its or it's? material or materiel? poisonous or venomous? practice or practise? principal or principle? tenant or tenet? who's or whose?
What is a preposition? What is a prepositional phrase? What is a phrasal verb? List of easily confused words