survive [on]

Question

How do you know if [on] is to be left in?There is everything you need to survive [on] out here.xxx

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

With this particular sentence, either way is okay: "There is everything you need to survive out here." or "There is everything you need to survive on out here." Note that the sense of these sentences is different. The first is more abstract and implies no specific means of survival. The second implies that the specific things you need in order to survive (coconuts, sea urchins, seaweed, etc.) are present.

However, in the following you can only say it one way (note the difference in sense, abstract and specific):

"You can survive on coconuts in an emergency." (You can't say this as: "You can survive coconuts in an emergency.")

"You need the will to survive." (You can't say this as: "You need the will to survive on.")

"I survived on rainwater and lizards for 30 days."

"I was determined to survive."

survive [on]

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