upon realising

USAGE SUMMARY

'upon realising' is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is usually used to indicate understanding something after a moment of contemplation or thought. For example, "Upon realising the consequences of his actions, John knew he had made a mistake."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

45 human-written examples

Ruddock, upon realising the lawyer's connection to Frank Madafferi, cut the meeting short, Four Corners stated.

The Guardian

Martin thought it hit the pad and went up for LBW before smiling broadly upon realising his mistake.

The Guardian - Sport

Upon realising what he had said, Zind immediately stopped and said: "I ask for forgiveness from God".

The Guardian

Upon realising that she could not expect further promotion, she stormed off in a fashion calculated to damage David Cameron.This is mostly unfair.

The Economist

The officer confirms that he has not and upon realising his identity, he asks if he is clear of warrants, to which Mr Zimmerman replies "absolutely sir".

Independent

Nevertheless, upon realising the Panthers were headed to the play-offs, the teams Twitter account correctly Tweeted: "Everyone's record is 0-0 when the play-offs start".

Independent

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

15 human-written examples

I would tell them my parents stumbled upon it before realising the connection to the Egyptian goddess.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

• The Loafer studied the word "scarftying" for some time, pondering what new idiomatic horror could be upon us, before realising that it did indeed refer to the tying of scarves.

The Guardian - Books

If you're clear with him that this is why you're structuring a choice a particular way, that's fine, but if the choice depends upon him not realising he's being manipulated, no deal.That's understandable, but should we really consider something like automatic enrollment with opt out, or information on energy use relative to one's peers, manipulation?

The Economist

For Heidegger, indeed, the promises of regeneration implicit within Nazism went well beyond German borders: it had been called upon to realise his longed-for "destruction of modernity", putting an end to the egalitarian massification which had, of course, seen its most ruinous expression in the October Revolution, but had begun long beforehand with the advent of liberalism and democracy.

The Guardian - Opinion

I cannot explain the level of poverty, nor the pain I felt upon seeing it and realising that many of the artists I had just been applauding slept on concrete floors.

The Guardian - Music

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "upon realising" to add a formal tone to your writing, particularly when describing a moment of sudden understanding or awareness.

Common error

Avoid using "upon realising" in casual conversation or informal writing, where simpler alternatives like "after realizing" or "when I realized" are more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "upon realising" functions as a prepositional phrase introducing an adverbial clause of time, modifying the main clause by indicating when an action occurred. Ludwig examples showcase its use in diverse contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Wiki

25%

Science

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Reference

5%

Social Media

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "upon realising" is a grammatically sound and frequently used prepositional phrase that adds formality to writing. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase correctly indicates the moment of awareness or understanding before a subsequent action. While it appears across different contexts, it is particularly common in "News & Media", "Wiki", and scientific sources. When writing, consider the level of formality appropriate for your audience, and use simpler alternatives in less formal situations. Remember to avoid misusing this phrase in contexts where simpler alternatives are more appropriate.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

after realizing

Uses a more common conjunction instead of the formal "upon".

on realizing

Similar to "after realizing", but slightly more concise.

once it was realized

Emphasizes the point in time when the understanding occurred, adding a passive construction.

having realized

Uses a perfect participle to indicate the realization preceded the subsequent action.

when they realized

Adds specificity by indicating who is doing the realizing.

on the realization that

Transforms the phrase into a noun-based construction.

with the understanding that

Focuses on the comprehension achieved.

becoming aware that

Highlights the process of gaining awareness.

after becoming conscious of

Emphasizes the consciousness element of realization.

in light of the fact that

Introduces the realization as a context or justification.

FAQs

How to use "upon realising" in a sentence?

Use "upon realising" to introduce a clause explaining what someone understood and the subsequent action they took. For example, "Upon realising the danger, she immediately called for help."

What can I say instead of "upon realising"?

You can use alternatives like "after realizing", "once they realized", or "having realized" depending on the context.

Is "upon realising" formal or informal?

"Upon realising" tends to be more formal. Simpler alternatives such as "after realising" or "when realising" are often used in less formal contexts.

Which is correct, "upon realising" or "on realising"?

Both "upon realising" and "on realising" are grammatically correct, but "upon realising" is generally considered more formal and traditional.