on an hour

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "on an hour" is not correct and does not convey a clear meaning in written English.
It is unclear in what context it is intended to be used, as it does not fit standard expressions related to time. Example: "I will arrive on an hour" does not make sense; it should be "I will arrive in an hour."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

22 human-written examples

We push on, an hour of switch-back mud and snow road lays ahead, alternating between skiing and walking, walking and skiing.

Independent

Figure on an hour or more at moderate temperature, with liquid around one-third of the way up and lots of butter.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

I'd been on an hour and a half.

The New York Times - Style

And they put Russian channels, which many Kyrgyz rely on for their news, on an hour delay.

The New York Times

Once my son is at school, all of the dancers come to the studio to work with a trainer on an hour of warm-up and strengthening exercises.

The Guardian

Yes: "You are a member of a country, a part of a system capable of wasting two hundred million dollars on an hour and a half of garbage.

The New York Times - Books

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

38 human-written examples

Cameron managed an entirely policy-free if not content-free speech for nigh-on an hour.

The Guardian - Opinion

If we're spending nigh-on an hour at a stove five nights a week, then this rather pulls the rug from under Jamie and his speedy suppers.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

At any given moment, a car could provide one service or the other; an aggregator could decide on an hour-by-hour basis which service to provide.

The New York Times

The rhythm of the nation's kitchens can also be parsed, on an hour-by-hour basis.

The New York Times - Food

The interview, by Terry Moran, will be shown Tuesday on an hour-long edition of "Nightline".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When indicating a time duration or a point in time relating to an hour, prefer the preposition "in" rather than "on". For example, use "in an hour" instead of "on an hour".

Common error

Avoid using "on" when referring to a duration of time. The correct preposition to use is generally "in". For example, avoid saying "I'll be there on an hour"; instead, say "I'll be there in an hour".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "on an hour" functions as a prepositional phrase, but it's generally considered grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI points out that it does not convey a clear meaning in standard English. The examples provided by Ludwig show its usage in varied contexts, despite its questionable correctness.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

46%

Wiki

18%

Science

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

7%

Academia

7%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while examples of the phrase "on an hour" exist, it's generally considered grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI underscores that it does not have a clear meaning in written English and points out it's not a standard expression related to time. It's more appropriate to use alternatives such as "in an hour", "within the hour", or "for one hour", depending on the context. Therefore, it is advisable to avoid the phrase "on an hour" in both formal and informal writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

In an hour

Indicates something will happen or be completed within a 60-minute timeframe.

Within the hour

Similar to "in an hour", but can emphasize immediacy or that something will occur before the hour concludes.

Hourly

Describes something that happens every hour or is measured by the hour.

For one hour

Specifies the duration of an event or activity.

Lasting an hour

Describes the duration of a process or event.

One-hour

Used as a compound adjective to describe something related to a duration of 60 minutes.

Each hour

Emphasizes that something occurs at the start of every hour.

Every hour

Highlights the regularity of something occurring each and every hour.

Per hour

Used to express rate or frequency relative to each hour.

An hour from now

Refers to a point in time exactly sixty minutes in the future.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say something will happen in 60 minutes?

The correct phrase is "in an hour". "On an hour" is not grammatically correct.

Are there alternatives to saying "on an hour"?

Yes, you can use phrases like "within the hour", "hourly", or "for one hour", depending on the context.

How do I use "in an hour" correctly in a sentence?

For example, you could say "The meeting will start "in an hour"" or "I will finish the task "in an hour"".

What's the difference between "on an hour" and "in an hour"?

"On an hour" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. Use "in an hour" to indicate a time duration or when something will occur.