subject on hand

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "subject on hand" is not correct in standard written English.
The correct expression is "subject at hand," which refers to the topic currently being discussed or considered. Example: "Let's focus on the subject at hand and address the main issues in our meeting."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Nothing can be factored out, but let's stay with the subject on hand.

Forbes

While some folks use Zello more walkie-talkie style, there are hundreds of thousands of "channels" in the app, which are communities that you can tune into in order to listen or chat about the subject on hand.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

In theory, we can stand to watch practically anything in documentary, as long as we have an implicit understanding of what sort of contract is implied between film-maker and subject on one hand, and film-maker and audience on the other.

The Guardian

From the theoretical stand point, there are basically two different approaches in viewing this subject: on one hand, considering the crystal as a collection of an electric field, the refractive index will be related to the density and the local polarizability of these entities.

Nanoscale Research Letters

But it was, and he ruled us with a rod of iron, though never without sympathy for any person who could not quite manage to say something coherent about one or other of the subjects on hand.

The Guardian - Film

The purpose is to bring this method to bear on this important subject, on the one hand, and to expand the range of applicability of the method on the other.

Journal of Sound and Vibration

Rather, we have tried to strike a balance between presenting enough information to make clear the beauty and diversity of the subject on the one hand, while avoiding "information overload" on the other.

Bulletin of Mathematical Sciences

To assess changes induced by TW, emotional word frequencies in SI and CI were counted before training, right after training and 3 months after training for the trained subjects on the one hand, and on the other hand, control subjects were assessed shortly after the study entry, 3 months after the first assessment, and 3 months after the second assessment.

British Journal of Cancer

Yates et al. recently showed that when subjects could rationalize their decisions, cultural differences took place in their decisions (between Japanese subjects on the one hand, and both Chinese and American subjects on the other hand); however these cultural differences disappeared completely when subjects had to guess a solution [ 47].

BMC Psychiatry

This survey aims at generating competency models for the main basic subjects on the one hand and explanatory models on the other hand.

Empirical Research in Vocational Education and Training

6 This difference might be explained by lacking information about the family history in some subjects on the one hand and lacking data about the correct cause of death on the other hand.

British Journal of Sports Medicine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When referring to the topic being discussed, consider using synonyms like "issue", "point", or "theme" to add variety to your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "on hand" when you mean "at hand". "On hand" means available or present (e.g., "We have experts on hand"), while "at hand" refers to the current topic or task (e.g., "Let's focus on the topic at hand").

Linguistic Context

The phrase "subject on hand" functions as a prepositional phrase attempting to identify the current topic of discussion or focus. However, as noted by Ludwig AI, it's not grammatically standard. The correct form is "subject at hand".

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Academia

34%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while "subject on hand" aims to refer to the current topic of discussion, Ludwig AI identifies it as grammatically incorrect. The correct phrase is "subject at hand". Although examples exist across various sources, including news, science, and academia, its usage is rare and should be avoided in favor of the correct alternative. Use "topic at hand" or "matter at hand" for clarity and grammatical accuracy. Remember, "on hand" implies availability, not the current topic. Therefore, paying attention to prepositions can help avoid this common error.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

topic at hand

Replaces "subject" with "topic", offering a more common and grammatically sound alternative to refer to the current matter.

matter at hand

Substitutes "subject" with "matter", focusing on the issue or situation being dealt with.

issue at hand

Replaces "subject" with "issue", highlighting a specific problem or concern under discussion.

point in question

Focuses on a particular detail or question being examined within a broader discussion.

topic under discussion

Specifies that the subject is currently being talked about or analyzed.

theme in focus

Highlights the central theme or idea that is the main point of attention.

question under consideration

Emphasizes that the subject is a question being carefully thought about.

business at hand

Implies a task or activity that needs to be completed or addressed.

item being addressed

Highlights a specific item or point that is being dealt with or discussed.

present subject

Simply indicates the subject that is currently being presented or discussed.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say "subject on hand"?

The correct and more common way to express the idea of the current topic is to say "topic at hand" or "matter at hand".

Is "subject on hand" grammatically correct?

No, "subject on hand" is not considered grammatically correct. The proper phrasing is "subject at hand".

What does "matter at hand" mean?

"Matter at hand" refers to the issue or topic that is currently being discussed or dealt with. It's a common and grammatically correct phrase.

Can I use "issue at hand" instead of "subject at hand"?

Yes, "issue at hand" can be used as a synonym for "subject at hand", especially when referring to a specific problem or concern.