on what foundation

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "on what foundation" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when questioning the basis or reasoning behind a belief, argument, or decision. Example: "Before we proceed, I need to understand on what foundation you are making these claims."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

But then on what foundation are these conflicting ideas developed?

The New York Times - Books

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Many arts organizations in New York and California -- states that together received about 30percentt of what foundations spent on the arts in 2001 -- say that they are now receiving less from these sources.

The New York Times - Arts

What foundation and concealer do you use?

The New York Times

"Gotham," I said in City Room on Oct. 28, based on what the memorial foundation told me and on the evidence that met my eye.

The New York Times

In fact, the initial Bootstrap push had direct lines of code and copy taken from ZURB's work on what today is Foundation 1.0".

TechCrunch

The Soviet Union said the coup "demonstrated once again on what a rotten foundation Washington's policy in South Vietnam is based".

Wikipedia

Given these contextual issues, we were faced with an important set of questions: on what sorts of foundations should teaching and learning about public health ethics be based?

BMC Medical Ethics

But at this point his recordings have converged on what they share: a foundation of four-chord 1960s rock that he floods with echoes, reverb and background noise, competing with his voice and instruments.

The New York Times - Arts

After two years of responding to the economic crisis he inherited, Mr. Obama starts the second half of his term managing the slow recovery and building on what he calls a "foundation" for growth.

The New York Times

"Now we've spent a year going through and making sure we reset the foundation on what we're executing and what our priorities are, we have a lot more confidence that we can move a lot faster on bigger things".

TechCrunch

This weekend, I read an old (1993) but excellent study commissioned by the Casey foundation on what it takes comprehensive school reform in large school systems.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "on what foundation" when you want to inquire about the fundamental principles or rationale behind an argument, belief, or system. It invites a deeper examination of the underlying assumptions.

Common error

While "on what foundation" and "on what basis" are similar, "foundation" implies a more structural or fundamental underpinning, whereas "basis" can refer to a wider range of justifications. Use "foundation" when you want to emphasize the core principles.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "on what foundation" functions as an interrogative prepositional phrase. It introduces a question that seeks to understand the underlying support or fundamental basis for a claim, argument, or idea. Ludwig AI shows this phrase appears in diverse contexts, ranging from books to articles.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

10%

Encyclopedias

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "on what foundation" serves as a grammatically sound interrogative phrase used to question the fundamental basis of an idea or argument. While less frequent than alternatives such as "on what basis", it maintains a formal tone appropriate for analytical and academic contexts. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it is usable in written English and serves to invite a deeper examination of underlying assumptions. While other alternatives exist for the phrase, the nuance of "foundation" suggests a more fundamental structure or principle.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

on what basis

Replaces "foundation" with "basis", emphasizing the underlying reason or justification.

on what grounds

Substitutes "foundation" with "grounds", focusing on the reasons or justification for a belief or action.

based on what principle

Highlights the guiding principle or rule that something is built upon.

upon what premise

Focuses on the initial assumption or proposition that something is based on.

what is the rationale

Shifts the focus to the reasoning or logic behind something.

what is the justification

Emphasizes the act of showing something to be right or reasonable.

what supports this

Simplifies the phrase to ask directly for the evidence or support.

what is the underlying reason

Focuses on the fundamental cause or motive.

from what source does this stem

Emphasizes the origin or starting point of something.

where does this originate

Focuses on the place or situation from which something begins or arises.

FAQs

How can I use "on what foundation" in a sentence?

You can use "on what foundation" to inquire about the underlying principles or rationale behind something. For example, "On what foundation are these claims based?"

What is a good alternative to "on what foundation"?

Alternatives include "on what basis", "on what grounds", or what is the rationale?

Is "on what foundation" formal or informal?

"On what foundation" is generally considered formal and suitable for academic, professional, or analytical contexts.

What's the difference between "on what foundation" and "what is the basis for"?

"On what foundation" emphasizes the fundamental principles, while "what is the basis for" is a more general inquiry about the reasons or justifications.