"Based On" vs. "Based Off"

Welcome to the Grammar Minute, where we’re saving the English language sixty seconds at a time! I’m Lauren Smyth, and a lot of my information about grammar is based off my experience as a novelist. [wrong buzzer] OK, this isn’t exactly a case for the Grammar Hall of Shame buzzer. In fact, “based off” is … eeeh … fine, but kind of weird if you think about physics. Suppose you say a tower is based off a foundation. What does that even mean? Based on would be clearer. The tower is on the foundation. And so, in the English language, it’s more precise to say something is based on the facts rather than based off. That said, “based off,” though it’s a comparatively new construction from forty-ish years ago, isn’t technically wrong. Dictionaries recognize it, and people argue about it. My advice, as always, is to err on the side of the definitely correct. And “based on” is just that—definitely correct. That’s your Grammar Minute! Visit thegrammarminute.com for more tips and tricks.