(to be) better off

Here's one of the most common expressions in English. You'll likely hear this in every avenue of life.

In 1980, Governor Ronald Reagan made this phrase so popular while he was campaigning for President of the United States:

***

Are you better off than you were four years ago?

***

Politicians have been asking this question to the public ever since then!

Here is an example from current online headlines: 

***

Assignment: Economy: Are you better off?

***

The idiom "better off" follows the "be" verb:  I am better off, she is better off, he was better off, we will be better off, etc.  It indicates a comparative state that would be better than another state so there is always a measure of comparision.

Here's one:

As a married couple, are we better off filing for taxes "jointly" or "separately"?

***

A married person contemplating may say he or she is better off single than married. Thus, we hear many song lyrics "I'm better off alone" and so on and so forth.  There is a sad story online:

I’m Better Off Without My Dad

***

So in a sentence, you would be better off this way THAN that way, and so on. You're better off knowing a lot of idioms and how to use them correctly than not knowing them and not understanding others when they speak opr write, and not being able to use them to express yourself, for sure.

It's a fun and interesting expression! Explore how it's used in English,and use it!!

***