upon playing

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "upon playing" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something happens as a result of playing or immediately after playing something, such as a game or an instrument. Example: "Upon playing the new song, she realized it was more challenging than she had anticipated."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

20 human-written examples

Players in turn, upon playing to the first trick, announce their highest melds, if not lower than any already announced.

Encyclopedia Britannica

A player with two cards in hand must announce, "One left" or "Last card," upon playing one of them.

Encyclopedia Britannica

A player holding the king and queen of trumps in a trump contract, or any king and queen of the same suit in an all-trump contract, scores 20 for the partnership by announcing "belote" upon playing one of them and "rebelote" upon playing the other.

Encyclopedia Britannica

METAL GEAR SOLID: THE LEGACY COLLECTION Trailer The emotions I felt upon playing Metal Gear Solid will forever stick with me, and are what inspires me to make video games now.

The New York Times - Arts

Not least so that the alcohol can provide a gateway to that special and rarely visited corner of my brain that actually enjoys the ABBA/Greece Megamix/Michael-sodding-Buble your DJ is insisting upon playing.

Independent

It was this idea of performance that Boyle – and Franco – seized upon: playing with voices, having the condemned man ham up to the camera as a talk-show host, and so on.

The Guardian - Film

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

40 human-written examples

He started when called upon, played sixth man when needed and never raised a fuss.

The New York Times - Sports

(Their put-upon captain, played by Joe Pantoliano, may be the most hot-tempered Buddhist this side of Steven Seagal).

The New York Times

The CG team spends hours upon hours playing Metal of Horror.

TechCrunch

To prepare for the part, he called upon his experience playing something else entirely – a giraffe.

The Guardian

Phillips had come upon Winnicott's "Playing and Reality" when he was at Oxford.

The New York Times - Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "upon playing", ensure the subsequent clause clearly indicates what occurs directly as a result of the playing action. This helps maintain clarity and avoids ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "upon playing" when the connection between the playing action and the subsequent event is not immediate or direct. Ensure the event described happens shortly after or during the action of playing, not simply at some later point.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "upon playing" functions as a prepositional phrase, modifying a verb or noun by indicating when or under what circumstances an action occurs. Ludwig AI confirms its usability for denoting events directly following the act of playing.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

32%

Wiki

28%

Encyclopedias

14%

Less common in

Science

14%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "upon playing" is a prepositional phrase used to indicate an event that immediately follows the action of playing. Ludwig AI confirms it as grammatically correct and usable in various contexts, though it carries a slightly more formal tone compared to alternatives like "after playing" or "when playing". This phrase is commonly found in news articles, encyclopedias and wiki entries. When using "upon playing", ensure the temporal connection between the playing action and the subsequent event is clear and immediate to avoid ambiguity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

after playing

Replaces "upon" with "after", emphasizing the sequence of events.

when playing

Substitutes "upon" with "when", focusing on the time during the action of playing.

while playing

Uses "while" instead of "upon", highlighting the concurrent action of playing.

on playing

Employs "on" instead of "upon", which can sound slightly more formal or technical depending on context.

by playing

Changes "upon" to "by", indicating a means or method through playing.

subsequent to playing

A more formal alternative, indicating something that follows playing.

following the act of playing

A lengthier and more descriptive alternative, emphasizing the action itself.

in the process of playing

Focuses on the ongoing nature of the action during playing.

as a result of playing

Highlights the consequences that stem directly from the action of playing.

with the initiation of playing

A very formal and somewhat stilted alternative emphasizing the start of the playing action.

FAQs

How can I use "upon playing" in a sentence?

Use "upon playing" to indicate something that happens as a direct result of playing a game, instrument, or recording. For example, "Upon playing the melody, she recognized the tune from her childhood."

What phrases are similar to "upon playing"?

Alternatives to "upon playing" include phrases such as "after playing", "when playing", or "while playing", depending on the specific context and emphasis you want to convey.

Is "upon playing" formal or informal?

"Upon playing" has a slightly more formal tone compared to alternatives like "after playing" or "when playing", but it's generally suitable for both neutral and somewhat formal contexts.

Can I use "on playing" instead of "upon playing"?

While "on playing" is grammatically correct, "upon playing" is more common and often preferred, especially in formal writing. Using "on" can sometimes sound less natural or slightly archaic.