0
SheltieBites Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

Seize On

"He seized the chance to go shopping."
"He seized on the chance to go shopping."

How are they different?
  

Top answer

They mean the same thing, with the second sentence having the added implication that the person is doing it very eagerly and to his advantage. There might also be the difference that one would use the second sentence if he wanted his writing to sound classier and more intellectual. And there might be the further difference that the person in the second sentence might appear to be more intelligent and refined than the person in the first sentence: to simply seize the chance to go shopping might be interpreted as crude, but if you "seize on," that implies eagerness but maybe with a some thought to it.

— Anonymous

  • They mean the same thing, with the second sentence having the added implication that the person is doing it very eagerly and to his advantage.
  • There might also be the difference that one would use the second sentence if he wanted his writing to sound classier and more intellectual.
  • And there might be the further difference that the person in the second sentence might appear to be more intelligent and refined than the person in the first sentence: to simply seize the chance to go shopping might be interpreted as crude, but if you "seize on," that implies eagerness but maybe with a some thought to it.
  • The second sentence is probably what you would use in practice, the first sentence's "crudeness" eliminating it from consideration, unless you were talking about a very rough type of person.
Free · every Monday

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.

1 Answers
0
They mean the same thing, with the second sentence having the added implication that the person is doing it very eagerly and to his advantage. There might also be the difference that one would use the second sentence if he wanted his writing to sound classier and more intellectual. And there might be the further difference that the person in the second sentence might appear to be more intelligen
0

Related Questions