catch upon

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "catch upon" is not correct in standard written English.
It seems to be a confusion with the phrase "catch up on," which is commonly used. Example: "I need to catch up on my reading this weekend."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

This plan, devised by corporate finance consultants at Portman Capital Partners, would give away free shares with a catch: upon selling the shares, owners would have to pay a pre-determined "floor price" to Treasury (e.g., at the breakeven point of 51p and 74p).

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

But he was caught upon his return to Britain in 1968.

The Guardian

One Chinese swimmer, Yuan Yuan, did not even make it into the competition because she was caught upon arrival at Sydney airport with 13 vials of human growth hormone in her luggage.In this section In the hands of the militia Mahathir's last waltz?

The Economist

In her blog post, Elisa Guerra (@ElisaGuerraCruz) highlights the real difficultly of solving the problem: "Even good teachers are frequently caught upon stereotypes.

Huffington Post

Now burst out with speed before the defender catches upon you again.

WikiHow

About a hundred tons of dust- and sand-size space rock bombards our atmosphere daily, and bolides — NEOs that catch fire upon entering the atmosphere — have been implicated in everything from the Chicago Fire of 1871 to the wrathful "brimstone and fire" visited upon Sodom and Gomorrah.

The New Yorker

About a hundred tons of dust- and sand-size space rock bombards our atmosphere daily, and bolides NEOs that catch fire upon entering the atmosphere have been implicated in everything from the Chicago Fire of 1871 to the wrathful "brimstone and fire" visited upon Sodom and Gomorrah.

The New Yorker

Feel and touch and pressure are constants throughout this selection, whether it's the longing of a hawk for "the feel... / Of catcher and of caught / Upon your wrist"; the swimmer who remembers "the pull and risk / Of the Pacific's touch... Its cold live sinews tugging at each limb"; or simply the "secure firm dry embrace" of longtime domestic affection.

The New York Times - Books

Hunters caught preying upon pregnant animals were strangled to death with their own hair.

Huffington Post

This is because these hawks, which are five times larger than Mexican jays, swoop down from the treetops to catch and feast upon them.

The Guardian

In contrast, members of scientific expeditions have spent whole winters in the Arctic or Antarctic without any respiratory illness, only to catch severe colds upon the arrival of a supply ship in the early summer.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Instead of "catch upon", use the common phrasal verb "catch up on" when you want to express the idea of becoming up-to-date with something. For example, "I need to catch up on the latest news".

Common error

Avoid using "upon" after "catch" when the intended meaning is to get up to date. Using "catch upon" instead of "catch up on" can confuse readers, as it is not a standard English construction.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "catch upon" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. Based on Ludwig AI, it is a non-standard construction. The intended function is often to express becoming up-to-date or informed, but it fails to achieve this effectively due to its incorrect usage.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Wiki

33%

Science

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "catch upon" is generally regarded as grammatically incorrect in modern English. Ludwig AI confirms this assessment. While it appears in various sources, including news and media, wiki entries, and scientific documents, its usage is infrequent and non-standard. To convey the intended meaning of getting up to date or becoming aware, it is best to use alternatives such as ""catch up on"", "get up to speed on", or "become aware of". Paying attention to preposition usage can prevent misunderstandings and improve clarity in writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

catch up on

This is a common and grammatically correct phrasal verb that means to reach the same level or standard as someone who is ahead.

get up to speed on

This phrase means to become fully informed about something.

keep abreast of

This means to stay up-to-date with the latest news or developments.

become aware of

This phrase signifies gaining knowledge or realization of something.

find out about

This means to discover or learn information about something.

learn about

This refers to gaining knowledge or understanding of a subject.

discover

This implies finding something unexpectedly or while searching.

encounter

This means to meet someone or something unexpectedly.

stumble upon

This phrase means to find something by chance without looking for it.

come across

This signifies finding something or someone unexpectedly.

FAQs

What does "catch up on" mean?

To "catch up on" means to devote time to something one has neglected or fallen behind on, like "I need to "catch up on" my sleep" or ""catch up on" the news".

What can I say instead of "catch upon"?

Since "catch upon" is not standard English, you can use alternatives like ""catch up on"", "get up to speed on", or "become aware of depending on the context".

Is "catch upon" grammatically correct?

No, "catch upon" is generally considered grammatically incorrect in modern English. The correct form is usually ""catch up on"" or other similar phrases.

How can I avoid using "catch upon" incorrectly?

To avoid using "catch upon" incorrectly, remember that the standard English phrasal verb is ""catch up on"" when you mean to get up to date with something. Double-check your sentences to ensure you're using the correct preposition.