to indicate on

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "to indicate on" is not a correct or usable phrase in written English.
You can use the phrases "to indicate," "to point out," or "to show" instead. Example: I pointed out to my students how to solve the equation.

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

We asked patients to indicate on a scale of one to five the extent that RA interfered with their work functioning.

BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders

In each of the practice trials participants saw one puppet receiving a gift and were asked to indicate on the scale how they thought the puppet would feel.

Child Development

Similar to forced-choice but, besides choosing one from a group of photos, the participant has also to indicate on a continuous scale how large the difference in quality is between the two photos; and Indirect.

Journal of the Brazilian Computer Society

Reception guests have been known to indicate on response cards that they would like the couple to accommodate a restricted low-salt or Atkins diet.

The New York Times

The researchers covered the volunteers' hands with a board and then asked them to indicate on it where they thought landmarks such as fingertips and knuckles lay underneath.

The Guardian

Doppler weather radars make good use of colour coding to indicate on a two-dimensional display the levels of rain intensity associated with each echo shown.

Britannica

I even – as Sbuttoni advises "stand there, as if you are a gorilla over him" – to indicate on important issues that while he is as powerful as me, I am in charge.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Lansley appeared to indicate on Monday, when he announced the "pause", that the changes would not be far-reaching when he said the bill would be amended "in the normal way" when it is revived in mid-June.

The Guardian

Downing Street was furious with Miliband and accused him of having suffered a giant "wobble" after he had appeared to indicate on Tuesday night that he would be prepared to support military action, subject to legal approval.

The Guardian

The Metropolitan police had appeared to indicate on Friday that officers would not look into the issue of her drug-taking, but that the force would review the decision if fresh evidence came to light.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

I wished at the time that there was some means for me to indicate on the ballot that I was still a fan of Frank, and putting a few quid in his pocket would be the obvious way.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "to indicate on". Instead, use simpler and grammatically correct alternatives such as "to indicate", "to show", or "to point out".

Common error

Many writers incorrectly add the preposition "on" after "indicate" when it's unnecessary and grammatically incorrect. For example, instead of saying "Please indicate on the form", say "Please indicate your choice on the form" or "Please indicate your choice".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "to indicate on" functions as a prepositional phrase, but its usage is generally considered grammatically incorrect. The verb "indicate" typically takes a direct object or is followed by a preposition other than "on", such as "to" or no preposition at all. The Ludwig AI confirms this with its analysis of the phrase.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

39%

News & Media

33%

Academia

14%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Formal & Business

2%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "to indicate on" appears in a variety of sources, Ludwig AI flags it as grammatically incorrect. It functions as a prepositional phrase but should be avoided in formal writing. Instead, use more direct and grammatically sound alternatives like "to indicate", "to point out", or "to show". While frequently used, prioritizing clarity and grammatical accuracy will improve the overall quality of your writing. As shown by the diversity of source categories, "to indicate on" is most frequently found in "Science", "News & Media", and "Academia", but this should not be interpreted as endorsement of the correctness of the phrase.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

to indicate

This is the most direct and grammatically correct way to express the action of indicating.

to point out

Focuses on highlighting a specific detail or piece of information.

to show on

Emphasizes the visual representation of information on a surface or medium.

to mark on

Suggests a physical act of making a mark to indicate something.

to specify on

Implies providing detailed information on a particular item or document.

to note on

Indicates recording information on a surface or document for future reference.

to identify on

Highlights the action of recognizing or establishing something's identity on a specific location or medium.

to designate on

Refers to officially assigning or naming something on a particular surface or record.

to highlight on

Suggests drawing attention to specific information on a document or display.

to record on

Implies storing information for future use, possibly on a physical document.

FAQs

What is the correct way to use "indicate" in a sentence?

Use "indicate" followed by what you are pointing out or showing. For example, "Please indicate your preference". Avoid using "to indicate on".

What can I say instead of "to indicate on"?

You can use alternatives like "to indicate", "to point out", or "to show" depending on the context.

Is it grammatically correct to say "indicate on"?

No, it is generally considered grammatically incorrect to say "indicate on". It is better to use "indicate" followed directly by the object or to rephrase the sentence.

How can I avoid using "to indicate on" in my writing?

Rephrase your sentence to use "indicate" correctly. For example, instead of "indicate on the map", try "indicate the location on the map" or simply "indicate the location".