On | Definition, Meaning & Part of Speech
The word on is typically a preposition. Function words like prepositions don’t convey very much meaning on their own. They express meaning as a result of their grammatical relationship with the other words in the sentence.
“On” can also function as an adverb and an adjective.
| Part of speech | Example in a sentence |
|---|---|
| Preposition | Please don’t leave your toys on the floor. |
| Adverb | We’ve got a spare seat; hop on. |
| Adjective | Is the AC on? |
On definition
The word on typically functions as a preposition, getting its meaning from the grammatical role it plays in the sentence.
In the sentence “The chickens are on the barn again,” for instance, its part of speech is a preposition. In combination with the other elements of the sentence, the function of “on” is to indicate the location of the chickens, and imply that it is a surface (e.g., a roof).
In contrast, “The chickens are in the barn again” would imply an enclosed area such as the inside of a barn.
What part of speech is on?
When analyzing the parts of speech of a sentence containing on, “on” typically functions as a preposition.
However, “on” can also be an adverb, particle of a phrasal verb, or an adjective.
Is on a preposition?
The word on typically functions as a preposition referring to a location.
| Type of location | Examples in a sentence |
|---|---|
| Surface | We’ll wait for you on the platform. |
| Who’s left their phone on the table? | |
| Did you knock on the door? | |
| “Visual surface” such as a page, pages of a website, poster, or screen | Chapter three starts on page 15. |
| Did you find any information on their website? | |
| I saw a poster for the concert, but there was no date on it. | |
| Vehicle | There were over 2,000 people on the Titanic. |
| I saw him on his bike. | |
| Were there lots of people on the train? | |
| Street, island, or piece of land | The musical opens on Broadway next month. |
| How many people live on Manhattan Island? | |
| There are no cattle on the ranch anymore. |
The preposition on is also used in a variety of other ways that go beyond indicating a physical location.
| Function of on | Examples in a sentence |
|---|---|
| To refer to a day of the week or calendar date | Jana said she’d come over on Tuesday evening. |
| The construction work is starting on March 3. | |
| To refer to a topic or subject | We have to write an essay on the interwar period. |
| I think I have a book on that somewhere. | |
| To refer to a machine, tool, or medium | Can you edit it on my computer? |
| I used to be able to play that on the guitar. | |
| Have you seen the Bob Dylan documentary on Netflix? | |
| To refer to membership of a committee, official body, or team | She’s on the board of directors. |
| Not everyone is selected to serve on the jury. | |
| Isn’t he on the college basketball team? |
Is on an adverb?
The word on can be an adverb when it modifies a movement verb like “walk” or “jump” and it isn’t introducing a prepositional phrase.
Jump on and I’ll give you a ride. [“On” means “up onto a vehicle”]
However, its part of speech is a preposition, not an adverb, in the sentence “Please don’t walk on the grass.” Here, “on” introduces a prepositional phrase, where “the grass” is the object of the preposition.
Similarly, in the sentence “Jump on the back of the truck,” “the back of the truck” is the object of the preposition “on.”
On in phrasal verbs
Some grammars classify on as an adverb when it’s part of a phrasal verb and not introducing a prepositional phrase (e.g., “The kids hadn’t put their shoes on”). But modern grammars tend to categorize “on” as a particle in these contexts.
I’ll carry on peeling the carrots and you can do the potatoes. [Phrasal verb: “carry on,” meaning “continue”]
I tried it on for size. [Phrasal verb: “try on,” meaning “wear in order to test how something looks or if it fits”]
I don’t know why they’re not friends anymore; they used to get on so well. [Phrasal verb: “get on,” meaning “be friendly with each other”]
Hold on, I’ll see if she’s here. [Phrasal verb: “hold on,” meaning “wait”]
To test if a verb is a prepositional verb or a phrasal verb, put the verb in a very simple sentence. Now try to form a question about your sentence in which the preposition/particle comes before a question word like “Whom/who …? or “What … ?” If you can do this, then it is a prepositional verb, not a true phrasal verb.
For instance, for the sentences “I rely on Mary” and “I try on clothes”:
- “On whom do you rely?” makes sense, so “rely on” is a prepositional verb, and “on” is a preposition.
- “On what do you try? etc. makes no sense—you would have to say “What do you try on?” (with “on” at the end), so “try on” is a phrasal verb, and “on” is a particle.
Is on an adjective?
The word on can function as an adjective after the linking verb “be” to mean “in operation” or “in an operating mode” (in the context of machines and electrical devices) or “in progress” (in the context of activities and events).
Is the button on or off if I press it in?
What movies are on at the moment?
I’m stuck in traffic; there’s a concert on at the stadium.
Is on a conjunction?
On is not a conjunction. Conjunctions are words like “and,” “but,” and “or” (coordinating conjunctions) and “if,” “because,” and “while” (subordinating conjunctions).
However, on can form part of conjunctive adverbs such as “on the other hand” and “on the contrary.”
Frequently asked question about on
- What does go on mean?
-
The phrasal verb go on means “continue” (e.g., “I can’t go on paying all the rent on my own,” “You go on with the filing then, and I’ll write the invoices”).
“Go on” can also mean to talk about something for so long that it becomes irritating (e.g., “He went on about his job for ages”).
QuillBots free Grammar Checker can help you to use phrasal verbs like “go on” correctly in your writing.
- What does on my way mean?
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If you say “I’m on my way” or “I’m on the way” to someone on your cell phone, it means that you have already started traveling to the place where you’ll meet them (e.g., “Yes, I’m on my way. The bus is coming now, so I’ll see you in about 20 minutes”).
So, in this context “way” means “journey.”
QuillBots free Grammar Checker will help you to use tricky phrases like “on my way” correctly in your writing.
- Is it interested in or on?
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In (not “on”) is the correct preposition to use with the adjective “interested” (e.g., “My daughter is very interested in dinosaurs”).
Knowing whether in vs on vs at is correct often depends on the specific context.
Use QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker to help you use these prepositions correctly in your writing.
- What’s the difference between in time and on time?
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If you are on time, you are not late or haven’t missed a deadline.
On time in a sentence examples I have to leave now if I want to be on time for my appointment.We have a reputation for completing projects on time.
My plane landed on time.
If you are in time, you are not too late for an event or not too late to do something (i.e., you still have the opportunity to do it, but you may be later than planned/arranged or have missed a deadline).
In time examples in a sentence If we leave right now, we’ll get there in time for the start of the film.The project will be completed in time for Christmas.
We got to the boarding gate just in time; they were about to close.
Knowing whether in vs on vs at is correct often depends on the specific context.
Use QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker to help you use these prepositions correctly in your writing.
- What does on the go mean?
-
The phrase on the go means “very busy” (e.g., “We were on the go the whole day, so we didn’t have much time for sightseeing”).
Have you tried QuillBots free Grammar Checker? It can help you to use idiomatic phrases like “on the go” correctly in your writing.
