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Guest Posted 21 years ago
Grammar
On the top of
Teachers, could you help me with this: When would you say "on the top of...." ? When would you say "on top of...."? What is the difference? Thank you?
Top answer
' On (the) top of the mountain/building/bookcase/Christmas tree' -- both seem to apply to equally well to vertical physical objects. ' On top of everything else/the rest of my problems/all his other idiosyncrasies'-- only this form seems to work with metaphorical tops. ' On the top of the paper/ the label' -- these seem to take only 'the top', when we mean the upper edge ('on top of' the paper would be anywhere on the upper face).
- ' On (the) top of the mountain/building/bookcase/Christmas tree' -- both seem to apply to equally well to vertical physical objects.
- ' On top of everything else/the rest of my problems/all his other idiosyncrasies'-- only this form seems to work with metaphorical tops.
- ' On the top of the paper/ the label' -- these seem to take only 'the top', when we mean the upper edge ('on top of' the paper would be anywhere on the upper face).
- Which leads me to the secret (maybe): 'the top' is a physical part of the structure, while 'top' is a location, either literal or figurative, perhaps idiomatic.
- They are often in the same place, so that either phrase works; but occasionally they are not.
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3 Answers
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'On (the) top of the mountain/building/bookcase/Christmas tree' -- both seem to apply to equally well to vertical physical objects.
'On top of everything else/the rest of my problems/all his other idiosyncrasies'-- only this form seems to work with metaphorical tops.
'On the top of the paper/ the label' -- these seem to take only 'the top', when we mean the
'On top of everything else/the rest of my problems/all his other idiosyncrasies'-- only this form seems to work with metaphorical tops.
'On the top of the paper/ the label' -- these seem to take only 'the top', when we mean the
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Thank you Mr Micawber for your help, but I don't quite understand your explanation. I have a question about the word in brackets.
('on top of' the paper would be anywhere on the upper face). What is "on the upper face"? Could you tell me more about "'top' is a location" and give examples? Thank you very much.
('on top of' the paper would be anywhere on the upper face). What is "on the upper face"? Could you tell me more about "'top' is a location" and give examples? Thank you very much.
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For a homework assignment, I write my name on the top of of the paper. (At the head of the paper, where we also write the title of an essay)
When I take a break, I set my eyeglasses on top of the paper. (On the upper surface-- this is not 'the top' as in 'the top of' a building or 'the top of' a bottle-- it is rather a location: not 'under', but 'on top'.)
Does
When I take a break, I set my eyeglasses on top of the paper. (On the upper surface-- this is not 'the top' as in 'the top of' a building or 'the top of' a bottle-- it is rather a location: not 'under', but 'on top'.)
Does
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