drew upon

USAGE SUMMARY

"drew upon" is a correct and usable phrase in written English, and it is often used to refer to referring to or building upon a set of knowledge or resources.
For example: "The professor drew upon his years of experience to develop a new research project."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

Some drew upon celebrity affectations.

The New Yorker

La Répudiation drew upon Boudjedra's difficult youth.

Encyclopedia Britannica

In turn, these institutions drew upon his MIT connections.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The scheme drew upon three types of precedent.

Encyclopedia Britannica

It drew upon and intensified a trend that already exists.

The New York Times

So she drew upon her penchant for the upbeat.

The New York Times - Arts

His last two books drew upon his Polish roots.

The New York Times

Resorts and sanitariums drew upon the waters, promising curative powers.

The New York Times

Since nothing very bad had happened to Hearst, Mankiewicz drew upon Little Orson Annie.

The New Yorker

There is also a photograph at that age that Mr. Gehry said he drew upon.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

Another Virginian, Thomas Jefferson, drew upon Mason's work in drafting the national Declaration of Independence.

Wikipedia

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "drew upon" when you want to emphasize that someone or something actively used existing knowledge, resources, or experiences as a foundation for something new.

Common error

Ensure you're using the correct tense. "Draw on" is present tense, while "drew upon" is past tense. Use "drew upon" when referring to something that happened in the past.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "drew upon" functions as a transitive verb phrase, indicating that the subject actively used or utilized something as a resource or foundation. It suggests a deliberate act of leveraging existing knowledge, experience, or materials as demonstrated in the examples provided by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

31%

Encyclopedias

22%

Science

26%

Less common in

Wiki

17%

Formal & Business

2%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "drew upon" is a versatile and grammatically sound verb phrase that signifies the act of utilizing or taking inspiration from something, as validated by Ludwig AI. It's prevalent across various contexts, notably in news, encyclopedias, and scientific literature. While alternatives such as "used" or "utilized" exist, "drew upon" often provides a more nuanced sense of active engagement with a source. When employing this phrase, ensure you maintain consistency in tense and context, as demonstrated by the multitude of examples provided by Ludwig.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

took inspiration from

Highlights the influence of something on creative or innovative work.

made use of

Emphasizes the action of employing something for a specific purpose.

utilized

A more formal synonym for "used", suggesting a deliberate and efficient application.

based on

Indicates that something is founded or predicated on a particular source or idea.

used

A simple and direct alternative, focusing on the act of utilization.

derived from

Focuses on the origin or source from which something is obtained.

leveraged

A business-oriented term indicating strategic utilization to achieve a goal.

took advantage of

Suggests leveraging something for benefit, with a slightly stronger implication of opportunism.

capitalized on

Highlights the act of turning something into an advantage or opportunity.

exploited

Implies using something to its fullest potential, sometimes with negative connotations of unfairness.

FAQs

How can I use "drew upon" in a sentence?

Use "drew upon" when you want to express that someone or something has utilized or taken inspiration from something else. For example, "The artist "drew upon" her personal experiences to create the painting".

What are some alternatives to "drew upon"?

You can use alternatives such as "used", "utilized", or "made use of" depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "draw upon" instead of "drew upon"?

"Draw upon" is the present tense form, while "drew upon" is the past tense. Use "drew upon" when referring to a past action. For example, "He "drew upon" his knowledge to solve the problem".

What's the difference between "drew upon" and "based on"?

"Drew upon" implies active use or inspiration, while "based on" suggests that something is founded or predicated on something else. They are not always interchangeable.