upon reaching

USAGE SUMMARY

"upon reaching" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe the immediate action taken after completing an activity, such as traveling to a certain place. Example sentence: Upon reaching the summit, we took a few moments to appreciate the beautiful view.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Upon reaching shore, you're mugged and the treasure hoisted.

The New York Times

Upon reaching the threesome, she focussed her annoyance on them.

The New Yorker

Upon reaching my new cell, I immediately spotted the problem.

The New Yorker

Upon reaching his destination he wrote in his diary: "St.

The New York Times - Arts

Upon reaching the ground the roots branch and establish themselves.

Britannica

Caco-2 cells undergo enterocyte-like differentiation upon reaching confluence.

Nature

Upon reaching near confluence, cells were trypsinized and frozen.

Nature

Upon reaching the summit, they began to perform joint calisthenics.

The New York Times - Magazine

4 Upon reaching a five-way crossroads, take the second path on your left.

The Guardian - Travel

Forecasters said Hurricane Michelle would likely turn eastward upon reaching Cuba.

The New York Times

Lo Duca punched the air with his right fist upon reaching first.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "upon reaching" to clearly indicate an action or event that immediately follows the arrival at a specific location or the completion of a task.

Common error

Avoid using "upon reaching" in very informal contexts. Simpler alternatives like "when I got to" might be more appropriate for casual conversation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "upon reaching" functions as a prepositional phrase introducing an adverbial clause of time. As Ludwig AI confirms, it signifies an action or state that occurs immediately after arriving at a specific location or achieving a certain condition. For example, "Upon reaching the summit, they began to perform joint calisthenics."

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

38%

Science

32%

Wiki

7%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "upon reaching" is a versatile prepositional phrase that effectively signals temporal succession. As Ludwig AI confirms its correctness, it's a reliable choice for describing events that immediately follow an arrival or attainment. While versatile, it leans towards a neutral to formal register, making it suitable for academic papers, news articles, and professional communications. When writing, remember to ensure the action following "upon reaching" is directly and logically connected to the act of reaching.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

when reaching

Similar in meaning, but substitutes "upon" with "when", altering the formality slightly.

on arrival at

Focuses specifically on the act of arriving, omitting the sense of effort or process implied by "reaching".

after arriving at

Emphasizes the temporal sequence, indicating the completion of arrival before another action occurs.

as soon as one reaches

Highlights immediacy and consequence of arriving at the location.

once at

Offers a more concise way to express the condition of being at a particular location.

immediately after arrival at

Emphasizes the immediacy of the subsequent action following arrival.

on getting to

A more casual alternative, replacing "arrival" with "getting", changing the tone.

at the point of arrival at

A more elaborate and formal way of describing the moment of arrival.

after getting to

Changes the focus to the action of 'getting to' a place instead of 'reaching'.

at the time of arriving at

Focuses on the specific moment of arrival. Uses "at the time of" to highlight the action's timing.

FAQs

How to use "upon reaching" in a sentence?

Use "upon reaching" to describe an event that happens immediately after arriving at a location or completing a task. For example, "Upon reaching the summit, we celebrated with a picnic".

What can I say instead of "upon reaching"?

You can use alternatives like "on arrival at", "after arriving at", or "when reaching depending on the context.

Is it more formal to say "upon reaching" or "when reaching"?

"Upon reaching" is generally considered more formal than "when reaching". Choose the phrase that best suits the tone and audience of your writing.

Can "upon reaching" be used to describe abstract achievements?

Yes, "upon reaching" can describe abstract achievements, such as "upon reaching a consensus" or "upon reaching an agreement". It emphasizes the point at which the achievement is realized.