There is a lot of confusion about the use of “upon” and “on,” so let’s clear up the difference. “Upon” is used when something is placed upon something else, such as a book lying upon a table. “On” is used when something is in contact with or resting on top of something else, such as a rock sitting on the ground. Let’s take a look at some examples: I put the board upon the brackets. (upon) There are several leaves that have landed on top of the water.
What is Upon?
Upon is a preposition that typically denotes time or location. For example, one might say “I will arrive at the party at 7pm sharp” or “The vase fell and shattered upon the floor.” In the first instance, Upon denotes when the speaker will arrive at the party. In the second, it denotes where the vase shattered. Upon can also be used to denote other relationships, such as cause and effect (“He was overcome with emotion upon seeing his long-lost friend”) or purpose (“She donned a pair of glasses Upon reading the small print”). While Upon is most commonly used as a preposition, it can also be used as an adverb (“Please come in, Upon you arriving”) or adjective (“He was the man Upon whom all blame was placed”). As such, Upon is a versatile word that can be employed in a variety of ways.
What is On?
On is a preposition that typically indicates location. For example, “The cat is on the mat.” It can also indicate time, as in “She’ll be there on Monday.” On can also indicate that something is covering something else, as in “There’s a blanket on the bed.” In addition, on can be used to indicate that something is attached to something else, as in “The flag is on the pole.” On can also express the idea of being supported by something, as in “He leaned on the railing.” Finally, on can be used to express the idea of being in charge of something or responsible for something, as in “She’s on duty tonight.” As you can see, on is a versatile preposition with many different uses.
Difference between Upon and On
Upon and On are both prepositions that are used to show location. Upon is used when referring to something that is touching the surface of something else. For example, “He placed the book upon the table.” On is used when referring to something that is not touching the surface of something else. For example, “The bird was on the branch.” Upon can also be used figuratively to mean “after” or “following.” For example, “Upon completing the race, she collapsed from exhaustion.”
Conclusion
In order to use the preposition correctly, it’s important to understand when each should be used. Remember that “upon” is always followed by a noun or pronoun, while “on” can be followed by either a noun or pronoun. When you are using “upon,” think about what event or action is taking place and how it relates to the object or person you are describing. For example, if you are writing about someone who was just promoted to manager, you might say that they were “given new responsibilities upon becoming a manager.”
This sentence implies that being given new responsibilities was the defining event that led to them becoming a manager. Alternatively, if you said that someone had been working on their new project for two weeks before it was due, you would say that they worked “two weeks ago on Monday morning at 8 am.” The preposition in this sentence doesn’t relate to an event but rather to the time of day.
