enquired upon

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "enquired upon" is not commonly used in written English and may sound awkward to native speakers.
It could be used in contexts where someone is asking for information or clarification about a specific topic, but "enquired about" is more standard. Example: "She enquired upon the status of her application during the meeting."

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Categories of medical apps enquired upon (Appendix A and Appendix B, question 7) were derived from survey data collated by Garritty et al. [ 21].

BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Take a look at what Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia says about the grand jury's function in the case of United States v. Williams, where he wrote, "It is the grand jury's function not to enquire... upon what foundation [the charge may be] denied or otherwise try the suspects' defenses, but only to examine upon what foundation [the charge] is made by the prosecutor".

Huffington Post

We also enquired into negative effects upon family relationships, childcare, family planning and love life, but our sample was not large enough to support a worthwhile analysis of these.

The Journal of Headache and Pain

Speer duly visited, and as the two sat down to lunch, enquired, "Where are the locusts?" With research concluded upon Inside the Third Reich, Speer had donated the edited Chronik to the German Federal Archives in Koblenz in July 1969.

Wikipedia

However, such salary alignment was only for clinical or monitoring and evaluation M&E staff (and not management level staff): some NGOs proactively enquired about salary levels in the public sector, before setting their own scales upon recruitment.

Globalization and Health

"Heavy session?" I enquired.

The Guardian - Travel

I enquired what this meant.

The Guardian

"Pam Ayres?" she enquired of Mr Rawnsley.

The Guardian - Books

"Is that it?" several more MPs enquired.

The Guardian

Then he enquired about their mothers.

The Guardian - Sport

"And would that have been right?" enquired my son coolly.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

While grammatically correct, consider using more common alternatives like "asked about" or "inquired about" to ensure clarity and avoid sounding overly formal or unnatural. Using the correct phrase will improve your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "enquired upon" in casual or informal writing. It can sound stilted or pretentious in contexts where simpler alternatives would be more appropriate. "Asked" is typically a better choice.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "enquired upon" functions as a verb phrase with a preposition, indicating the action of asking or seeking information about something. Ludwig AI shows this structure in the context of seeking information on medical apps or effects on family relationships.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "enquired upon" is grammatically acceptable but rarely used in contemporary English. Ludwig AI shows that it appears mostly in scientific and news contexts. While not incorrect, it often sounds more natural and clear to use alternatives like "asked about" or "inquired about", especially in less formal situations. Using simpler alternatives will help improve the writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

asked about

Replaces "enquired upon" with the more common and straightforward verb "asked" and the preposition "about".

inquired about

Uses the more formal synonym "inquired" with the preposition "about", which is a standard alternative.

queried about

Substitutes "enquired" with "queried", implying a more direct or questioning manner.

sought information on

Replaces the verb with a phrase indicating a search for information, which changes the structure slightly.

questioned

Focuses on the act of asking questions, often in a formal setting.

made inquiries regarding

Uses a more formal and elaborate structure to convey the act of asking.

investigated

Implies a more thorough and formal examination or inquiry.

looked into

Suggests a less formal investigation or examination.

researched

Indicates a systematic study or investigation to gain information.

explored

Implies a broad and open-ended inquiry into a topic.

FAQs

What is a more common alternative to "enquired upon"?

More common alternatives include "asked about" or "inquired about", which are generally preferred in contemporary English.

Is "enquired upon" grammatically incorrect?

No, "enquired upon" is not strictly grammatically incorrect, but it is considered less common and can sound awkward or overly formal to native English speakers.

When is it appropriate to use "enquired upon"?

It might be appropriate in very formal or technical contexts, but even then, alternatives like "inquired about" are often better choices.

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

While possible, it's often better to rephrase. Instead of "She "enquired upon" the matter", try "She asked about the matter" or "She inquired about the matter".