demonstrating on

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "demonstrating on" is not correct in standard written English.
It is typically used incorrectly; the correct preposition should be "demonstrating" followed by the object or context without "on." Example: "The teacher is demonstrating the experiment to the students."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

On an icy weekday afternoon, Nakusii Goodman, 11, was demonstrating on his brother, Shameek, 8, how a hug can be a form of both affection and torment.

The New York Times

In the elderly age group [ 2] incidence and mortality tend to converge, demonstrating, on one hand, the worse prognosis of tumors at advanced ages, and on the other hand, the relative absence of early diagnoses.

BMC Women's Health

These findings are in line with studies demonstrating, on the one hand, that p38MAPK activation plays a key role in tumorigenicity and, on the other hand, that PD98059 fails to reduce the toxicity of etoposide.

Cell Death and Disease

"It (Xi's visit) shows that England is not giving a damn about human rights," said Aisha Nahmmacher, 24, from south London, one of those demonstrating on The Mall.

Huffington Post

The judiciary announced Feb. 9 that an appeals court had confirmed the death sentence for an unidentified defendant who was one of nine convicted of waging war against God by demonstrating on the Shiite holiday of Ashura.

The New York Times

"You have to squeeze her a little," Nermin said, demonstrating on her own bust line.

The New Yorker

Similarly, Mr. Kalmár is demonstrating on different levels how use becomes Artists Space.

The New York Times - Arts

Still others will be demonstrating on issues like the death penalty, the environment, the minimum wage and aid to Israel.

The New York Times

"What we got from Layer is kind of a messaging app," she said, demonstrating on her iPhone.

The New Yorker

Demonstrating on his iPhone, he selected an upcoming Yankees-Blue Jays matinée, and optimized for foul balls.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

Staining for HIF-1α and tumor hypoxia were decreased in bone metastases sections from 2ME2-treated animals, demonstrating on-target effects of 2ME2 in tumor cells in vivo.

Plosone

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When intending to show how something works, prefer using "demonstrating" followed by the object. For example, "demonstrating the new software features" is clearer than "demonstrating on the new software features".

Common error

Avoid using "on" after "demonstrating" when you mean to show or illustrate something. The preposition "on" is often unnecessary and can make your sentence sound awkward. Instead, directly follow "demonstrating" with the object being demonstrated.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "demonstrating on" functions as a verb phrase, where "demonstrating" is a verb in its present participle form, and "on" is a preposition. However, according to Ludwig AI, this construction is often grammatically questionable. Instead, the verb "demonstrating" usually needs a direct object or should be followed by "to".

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

58%

Science

33%

Wiki

9%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "demonstrating on" does appear in various sources, including news and media outlets, Ludwig AI indicates that it is often grammatically incorrect. The phrase functions as a verb phrase that attempts to describe the act of showing or illustrating something, but it is generally clearer and more precise to use "demonstrating to" or simply follow "demonstrating" with a direct object. Therefore, writers should exercise caution and consider more appropriate alternatives to ensure grammatical correctness and clarity in their writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

demonstrating to

Replaces 'on' with 'to', indicating the recipient or target of the demonstration.

demonstrating for

Replaces 'on' with 'for', suggesting demonstrating in support of something.

demonstrating in

Replaces 'on' with 'in', indicating location or context of the demonstration.

showing on

Uses 'showing' instead of 'demonstrating', retaining 'on' to indicate a display.

presenting on

Uses 'presenting' instead of 'demonstrating', retaining 'on' to indicate a topic or subject.

illustrating on

Uses 'illustrating' instead of 'demonstrating', which can be acceptable in some contexts.

demonstrating upon

Replaces 'on' with 'upon', this phrase is grammatically incorrect but sometimes it can be used to be more formal

performing on

Uses 'performing' instead of 'demonstrating', which changes the nature of the action to a performance.

demonstrating effectiveness of

Adding the effectiveness of

displaying on

Uses 'displaying' instead of 'demonstrating', retaining 'on' to indicate a surface or medium.

FAQs

What is the correct preposition to use after demonstrating?

The preposition after "demonstrating" depends on the context. You can use "demonstrating to" when showing something to someone, or follow "demonstrating" directly with the object you are demonstrating.

Is it ever correct to say demonstrating on?

While "demonstrating on" appears in some contexts, it's often grammatically incorrect. It's better to rephrase using "demonstrating to" or simply "demonstrating [object]" for clarity and correctness.

What can I say instead of demonstrating on when referring to protesting?

When referring to protesting, consider using "demonstrating in" or "protesting on" instead of "demonstrating on". For example, "demonstrating in the streets" or "protesting on campus".

How can I avoid misusing the phrase demonstrating on?

To avoid misuse, focus on the action and the object being demonstrated. Ask yourself if "on" is necessary. Often, it's better to say "demonstrating a technique" than "demonstrating on a technique".