on the pavement

USAGE SUMMARY

'on the pavement' is correct and can be used in written English.
You would use it to refer to the walkable surface of a street or sidewalk. For example: "The child was playing with a toy car on the pavement."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

Emergency workers covered bodies on the pavement.

Independent

There are beggars on the pavement.

Independent

A forty-ounce shatters on the pavement.

The New Yorker

PROTESTERS lay on the pavement, playing dead.

The Economist

Shattered glass was sprinkled on the pavement.

The New York Times

No dog-poo on the pavement?

The Economist

Is he on the pavement?

The Guardian - Film

She spits on the pavement.

The New York Times - Style

She's just found it on the pavement.

The Guardian

Afterwards we left him on the pavement.

The Guardian - Arts

"Generation revolution", was scrawled on the pavement.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "on the pavement" to specifically refer to actions or objects located on the paved area intended for pedestrians, often alongside a road. For instance, "The artist was drawing with chalk "on the pavement"".

Common error

Avoid using "on the pavement" when referring to vehicles driving or objects located on the road intended for vehicular traffic. Use "on the road" or "on the roadway" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "on the pavement" primarily functions as an adverbial phrase indicating location. It modifies a verb or noun by specifying where an action occurs or where something is situated. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, its usage is grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Formal & Business

15%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Science

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "on the pavement" is a grammatically sound and very common prepositional phrase used to denote location, specifically referring to the paved area for pedestrians. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is correct for use in written English. Predominantly found in news and media contexts, it serves to provide clear spatial information. While synonyms like "on the sidewalk" exist, the choice often depends on regional dialects. To avoid confusion, ensure "on the pavement" is used for pedestrian walkways and not confused with the roadway intended for vehicles.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

on the sidewalk

Replaces "pavement" with "sidewalk", which is a common synonym in American English.

on the footpath

Replaces "pavement" with "footpath", another synonym in British English.

on the paved surface

More explicitly states the nature of the surface.

upon the pavement

Uses a more formal preposition, "upon", instead of "on".

on the asphalt

Specifies the material of the pavement as asphalt.

on the concrete

Specifies the material of the pavement as concrete.

on the hardtop

Substitutes "pavement" with "hardtop", emphasizing the hard, paved surface.

on the roadway

Changes the focus to the road surface itself, implying something is situated there.

at street level

Shifts the focus from the surface to the general elevation.

on the ground

Broadens the location to any ground surface, not specifically paved.

FAQs

How is "on the pavement" typically used in a sentence?

The phrase "on the pavement" is used to indicate the location of something on the paved surface designed for pedestrians. For example, "There was shattered glass "on the pavement" after the accident".

What's the difference between "on the pavement" and "on the sidewalk"?

"On the pavement" and "on the sidewalk" are largely interchangeable, with "pavement" being more common in British English and "sidewalk" in American English. Both refer to the paved pathway for pedestrians alongside a road.

Which is correct, "on the pavement" or "in the pavement"?

"On the pavement" is the correct preposition to use. "In the pavement" would suggest something is embedded within the pavement, which is less common.

What can I say instead of "on the pavement"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives such as "on the sidewalk", "on the ground", or "at street level".