spend on which

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "spend on which" is not correct and does not convey a clear meaning in written English.
It may be intended to refer to spending related to a specific subject or item, but the construction is awkward and unclear. Example: "I need to clarify the budget for the project, specifically the areas where we will spend on which resources."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

In a publicly funded healthcare system with goals of value for money and equity of access and outcomes there is inevitably a need for some sort of commissioning or planning function to decide how much to spend on which services and with what aims.

BMJ Open

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

A firm called Chrometa addresses this problem by producing a software programme that automatically tracks a lawyer's computer usage, showing how much time she has spent on which e-mail, document or spreadsheet.

The Economist

The software also generates "utilization rates" — so you can identify under- and over-used resources (or staffers), as well as tracking how much time is being spent on which projects/clients, and who's been working on what.

TechCrunch

Cloudability helps companies get an overview of how much money they're spending on which services, but Cloudyn is interested in determining how to get the best bang for the buck.

TechCrunch

For too long, the international community has also failed to involve local communities in the planning process or open their books so local stakeholders could see what was to be spent on which projects.

Huffington Post

They can decide how much to spend on information systems, and which systems they want to use or develop.

BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making

And/or if wages start rising, then that gives people more money, which they can then spend on stuff, which could also cause prices to go higher.

Huffington Post

They have little left over to spend on themselves, which generates deep and unacknowledged self-pity.

The Economist

"He had a fund to spend on us which came from the state.

The Guardian

Those higher costs could leave consumers with less money to spend on nonessentials, which could hurt economic activity, he says.

Huffington Post

12 These findings highlighted additional expenditure which might be better spent on interventions which enable women to enter pregnancy with a healthy BMI.

BMJ Open

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing resource allocation, use clearer phrasing like "on what to spend" or "where to allocate funds" to ensure your meaning is easily understood.

Common error

Avoid using "spend on which" as it creates ambiguity. Instead, clarify the direct object of spending, such as "spend on what projects" or "allocate to which departments".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "spend on which" attempts to connect an action (spending) with a query about the object of that action. However, as Ludwig AI indicates, the phrasing is awkward and unclear, failing to establish a clear grammatical relationship.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

12%

Less common in

Wiki

10%

Reference

5%

Academia

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "spend on which" is generally considered grammatically incorrect and unclear. Ludwig AI highlights its awkwardness. While it appears in various contexts, including news and scientific articles, it is advisable to use clearer alternatives like "spend on what" or "allocate to which" to avoid ambiguity. These alternatives ensure your message is easily understood. Strive for precision in language, especially when discussing financial or resource allocation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

on what to spend

Focuses on the decision of allocation rather than a specific category.

where to allocate funds

Highlights the distribution of financial resources.

how to distribute resources

Emphasizes the methodology of resource allocation.

regarding which expenditures

Formal alternative focusing on specific costs.

concerning which investments

Alternative emphasizing investment decisions.

for what purpose to use

Focuses on the intended purpose of use.

in which areas to invest

Highlights specific areas for investment.

allocate to what

Direct alternative questioning allocation destination.

on what items to expend

Focuses on items where money is spent.

where funds should go

Informal alternative to denote fund destination.

FAQs

What is a better way to phrase "spend on which"?

Instead of "spend on which", use more direct alternatives like "spend on what" or "allocate to which" to avoid ambiguity.

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

You can say, "We need to decide "spend on what" resources to improve our efficiency".

Is "spend on which" grammatically correct?

No, "spend on which" is not considered grammatically correct. It's better to use alternatives like "spend on what" or "what to spend on".

What's the difference between "spend on what" and "what to spend on"?

"Spend on what" directly asks about the object of expenditure, while "what to spend on" implies a decision or plan regarding expenditure. The phrase "what to spend on" generally seeks an enumeration of the objects of spend.