The preposition "of" in these sentences is optional and depends on the style or dialect. Here's the breakdown:
1. "I live off of coffee."
- "Off of" is common in informal American English, but itâs not necessary.
- The more concise and grammatically formal version would be:
"I live off coffee."
2. "We've been living off of it ever since."
- Similarly, "off of" can be simplified to "off":
"We've been living off it ever since."
Rule of Thumb:
- Use "off" without "of" for formal or concise writing.
- "Off of" is perfectly acceptable in informal speech, especially in American English, but itâs less common in British English.
So, for your sentences:
- "I live off coffee."
- "We've been living off it ever since."
Both sound natural and are grammatically correct!