on this hour

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "on this hour" is not commonly used in written English and may sound awkward.
It can be used when referring to a specific time within the current hour, but it is more natural to use "at this hour." Example: "The meeting is scheduled to start at this hour."

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Or anything much else, for that matter, on the basis of this hour.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

The Met is not about to take on this five-hour spiritual epic.

The New York Times

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Vice

The spontaneous, no-rules ethos of crews like the Brick Bandits and now-international stars like DJ Sliink shines brightly on this hour-long mixtape for The Wire, dredging up a plethora of party-geared rhythms and IDs from out of the heart of the city that she loves. David Garber.

Vice

Usually his mother watched crime programs on television at this hour.

The New Yorker

State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley is on Twitter at this hour (@PJCrowley).

Huffington Post

Find out more this hour on Fox 5 in Scranton".

TechCrunch

On the hour, this minute pulse is transmitted at 1500 Hz rather than 1000.

Wikipedia

Peggy and the caregiver on duty, Jaycee, tried to figure out what might have brought this on, just hours after he told me he was "cautiously happy".

The New York Times - Magazine

I wouldn't put this guy on 'The Hour' if you held a gun to my head".

The New York Times - Books

Carol Ann Duffy has devised a game to keep us occupied on this four-hour journey.

The Guardian - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When referring to a specific time within the current hour, prefer using "at this hour" as it's more conventional. For example, "The meeting is scheduled to start at this hour" is clearer than "The meeting is scheduled to start "on this hour"".

Common error

Avoid overuse of "on this hour" in formal contexts. While grammatically correct, it can sound stilted. Opt for more common alternatives like "at this time" or "during this hour" to maintain a natural and professional tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "on this hour" functions primarily as an adverbial phrase, specifying a point in time. While Ludwig provides examples where it appears, it's not as common as other alternatives. As Ludwig AI suggests, it may sound awkward to some native English speakers.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Wiki

33%

Science

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while grammatically acceptable, the phrase "on this hour" is not a very common expression in contemporary English. Ludwig suggests that using "at this hour" is more natural and preferred. It's found in various contexts like news, wikis, and scientific articles, but not frequently. As Ludwig AI highlights, careful consideration should be given to alternative phrases like "at this time" or "during this hour" for improved clarity and naturalness. The phrase is best suited for neutral registers, but avoid overuse in formal writing to maintain a professional tone.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

at this hour

Replaces 'on' with 'at', a more common preposition for specifying time.

at this time

Substitutes 'hour' with the more general 'time', broadening the reference.

during this hour

Uses 'during' to emphasize the span of time.

within this hour

Highlights that something happens inside the timeframe of the hour.

currently

A simpler alternative emphasizing the present moment without specifying the time window.

right now

Similar to 'currently', but more immediate.

at the present moment

A more formal way of saying 'right now'.

in the current hour

Similar to 'during this hour' but slightly more verbose.

this very hour

Emphasizes the exactness and immediacy of the hour.

this specific hour

Highlights the particularity of the hour being referenced.

FAQs

What's a more common way to say "on this hour"?

A more common way to phrase this is to say "at this hour", which sounds more natural in contemporary English.

Is "on this hour" grammatically incorrect?

While not strictly incorrect, "on this hour" is less frequently used than alternatives like "during this hour" or "at this time".

In what situations would I use "on this hour"?

You might use "on this hour" to refer to a specific occurrence during the current hour, but other phrases are generally clearer and more common.

What phrases are similar in meaning to "on this hour"?

Similar phrases include "at this moment", "at the present time", or simply "now", depending on the specific context.