Should the verb “impact” be always followed by “on”?
Nowadays, we often see the word impact being used as a verb. My question is, should it be always followed by the preposition on? Oxford Dictionaries gives the following example:
The cuts will inevitably impact on service delivery.
I saw elsewhere this sentence:
The author offers policies that unduly impact certain populations.
Is there any thumbrule for this?
verbs prepositions
edited Dec 22 at 18:57
jwodder
636711
asked Dec 22 at 11:38
Arun
560213
add a comment |
Nowadays, we often see the word impact being used as a verb. My question is, should it be always followed by the preposition on? Oxford Dictionaries gives the following example:
The cuts will inevitably impact on service delivery.
I saw elsewhere this sentence:
The author offers policies that unduly impact certain populations.
Is there any thumbrule for this?
verbs prepositions
edited Dec 22 at 18:57
jwodder
636711
asked Dec 22 at 11:38
Arun
560213
Your first example is not idiomatic.
– Hot Licks
Dec 22 at 12:22
No. For example:The meteor will impact the Earth soon.
– RonJohn
Dec 22 at 18:23
1
The cuts will inevitably impact on service deliveryis incorrect.The cuts will inevitably **have an** impact on service deliveryis the correct grammar. Also,The cuts will inevitably **have a negative** impact on service delivery.
– RonJohn
Dec 22 at 18:25
1
Read Peter Shor's comment. Whether it's idiomatic or not depends on whether you're GB or US.
– Lordology
Dec 22 at 19:23
add a comment |
Nowadays, we often see the word impact being used as a verb. My question is, should it be always followed by the preposition on? Oxford Dictionaries gives the following example:
The cuts will inevitably impact on service delivery.
I saw elsewhere this sentence:
The author offers policies that unduly impact certain populations.
Is there any thumbrule for this?
verbs prepositions
edited Dec 22 at 18:57
jwodder
636711
asked Dec 22 at 11:38
Arun
560213
Nowadays, we often see the word impact being used as a verb. My question is, should it be always followed by the preposition on? Oxford Dictionaries gives the following example:
The cuts will inevitably impact on service delivery.
I saw elsewhere this sentence:
The author offers policies that unduly impact certain populations.
Is there any thumbrule for this?
verbs prepositions
verbs prepositions
edited Dec 22 at 18:57
jwodder
636711
asked Dec 22 at 11:38
Arun
560213
edited Dec 22 at 18:57
jwodder
636711
asked Dec 22 at 11:38
Arun
560213
edited Dec 22 at 18:57
jwodder
636711
edited Dec 22 at 18:57
jwodder
636711
edited Dec 22 at 18:57
jwodder
636711
636711
asked Dec 22 at 11:38
Arun
560213
asked Dec 22 at 11:38
Arun
560213
asked Dec 22 at 11:38
Arun
560213
560213
Your first example is not idiomatic.
– Hot Licks
Dec 22 at 12:22
No. For example:The meteor will impact the Earth soon.
– RonJohn
Dec 22 at 18:23
1
The cuts will inevitably impact on service deliveryis incorrect.The cuts will inevitably **have an** impact on service deliveryis the correct grammar. Also,The cuts will inevitably **have a negative** impact on service delivery.
– RonJohn
Dec 22 at 18:25
1
Read Peter Shor's comment. Whether it's idiomatic or not depends on whether you're GB or US.
– Lordology
Dec 22 at 19:23
add a comment |
Your first example is not idiomatic.
– Hot Licks
Dec 22 at 12:22
No. For example:The meteor will impact the Earth soon.
– RonJohn
Dec 22 at 18:23
1
The cuts will inevitably impact on service deliveryis incorrect.The cuts will inevitably **have an** impact on service deliveryis the correct grammar. Also,The cuts will inevitably **have a negative** impact on service delivery.
– RonJohn
Dec 22 at 18:25
1
Read Peter Shor's comment. Whether it's idiomatic or not depends on whether you're GB or US.
– Lordology
Dec 22 at 19:23
Your first example is not idiomatic.
– Hot Licks
Dec 22 at 12:22
Your first example is not idiomatic.
– Hot Licks
Dec 22 at 12:22
No. For example:
The meteor will impact the Earth soon.– RonJohn
Dec 22 at 18:23
No. For example:
The meteor will impact the Earth soon.– RonJohn
Dec 22 at 18:23
1
1
The cuts will inevitably impact on service delivery is incorrect. The cuts will inevitably **have an** impact on service delivery is the correct grammar. Also, The cuts will inevitably **have a negative** impact on service delivery.– RonJohn
Dec 22 at 18:25
The cuts will inevitably impact on service delivery is incorrect. The cuts will inevitably **have an** impact on service delivery is the correct grammar. Also, The cuts will inevitably **have a negative** impact on service delivery.– RonJohn
Dec 22 at 18:25
1
1
Read Peter Shor's comment. Whether it's idiomatic or not depends on whether you're GB or US.
– Lordology
Dec 22 at 19:23
Read Peter Shor's comment. Whether it's idiomatic or not depends on whether you're GB or US.
– Lordology
Dec 22 at 19:23
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
Not necessarily. The sentence you've quoted is perfectly correct as well.
Here are some sentences I've dug up where impact isn't followed by on:
Both events negatively impacted her life.
from Merriam-Webster
The book discusses the impact of Christian thinking on western society.
from Cambridge Dictionary
...the potential for women to impact the political process.
from Collins Dictionary
As far as I can see, your definition of impact (verb) can be used in four different ways: (from Collins Dictionary):
VERB + on/upon
as in
Such schemes mean little unless they impact on people.
VERB on/upon noun
as in
The reduction in the number of days that Parliament sat would impact on the quality of its work.
VERB noun
as in
...the potential for women to impact the political process. (mentioned
before)
verb-link ADJECTIVE
as in
Trading is being increasingly impacted by the current recession.
Hope I've helped!
answered Dec 22 at 12:13
Lordology
43910
2
In the Cambridge Dictionary example, impact is followed by on.
– jsw29
Dec 22 at 17:01
Not if you go to 'more examples' then look at the last one.
– Lordology
Dec 22 at 17:10
2
Impact is followed by on in the example quoted in this answer: ' . . . the impact . . . on western society'.
– jsw29
Dec 22 at 17:19
But impact of ......... on is different, as it is not a direct impact on, which is what the OP asked for. It's just another way of saying it.
– Lordology
Dec 22 at 18:52
2
In your second example "impact" is a noun, not a verb.
– ApproachingDarknessFish
Dec 22 at 20:49
|
show 1 more comment
Your first example is not idiomatic. If you use "impact" as a verb, the object of the verb (the thing impacted) needs no "on". If you use "impact" as a noun, however, you need the preposition.
answered Dec 22 at 12:24
Hot Licks
19k23677
2
Whether you think it's idiomatic might depend on which side of the pond you live on. See Google Ngrams.
– Peter Shor
Dec 22 at 12:32
2
... and my Ngram seems to show that some elderly prescriptivists would argue that impact shouldn't be used as a verb at all (even though the OED says that it was first used as a verb around 1600, nearly 200 years before it was first used as a noun).
– Peter Shor
Dec 22 at 12:36
1
@PeterShor is right. Also see bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-33223503
– Lordology
Dec 22 at 12:37
add a comment |
Your Answer
StackExchange.ready(function() {
var channelOptions = {
tags: "".split(" "),
id: "97"
};
initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);
StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function() {
// Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled) {
StackExchange.using("snippets", function() {
createEditor();
});
}
else {
createEditor();
}
});
function createEditor() {
StackExchange.prepareEditor({
heartbeatType: 'answer',
autoActivateHeartbeat: false,
convertImagesToLinks: false,
noModals: true,
showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
reputationToPostImages: null,
bindNavPrevention: true,
postfix: "",
imageUploader: {
brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
allowUrls: true
},
noCode: true, onDemand: true,
discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
});
}
});
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fenglish.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f478204%2fshould-the-verb-impact-be-always-followed-by-on%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
Not necessarily. The sentence you've quoted is perfectly correct as well.
Here are some sentences I've dug up where impact isn't followed by on:
Both events negatively impacted her life.
from Merriam-Webster
The book discusses the impact of Christian thinking on western society.
from Cambridge Dictionary
...the potential for women to impact the political process.
from Collins Dictionary
As far as I can see, your definition of impact (verb) can be used in four different ways: (from Collins Dictionary):
VERB + on/upon
as in
Such schemes mean little unless they impact on people.
VERB on/upon noun
as in
The reduction in the number of days that Parliament sat would impact on the quality of its work.
VERB noun
as in
...the potential for women to impact the political process. (mentioned
before)
verb-link ADJECTIVE
as in
Trading is being increasingly impacted by the current recession.
Hope I've helped!
answered Dec 22 at 12:13
Lordology
43910
2
In the Cambridge Dictionary example, impact is followed by on.
– jsw29
Dec 22 at 17:01
Not if you go to 'more examples' then look at the last one.
– Lordology
Dec 22 at 17:10
2
Impact is followed by on in the example quoted in this answer: ' . . . the impact . . . on western society'.
– jsw29
Dec 22 at 17:19
But impact of ......... on is different, as it is not a direct impact on, which is what the OP asked for. It's just another way of saying it.
– Lordology
Dec 22 at 18:52
2
In your second example "impact" is a noun, not a verb.
– ApproachingDarknessFish
Dec 22 at 20:49
|
show 1 more comment
Not necessarily. The sentence you've quoted is perfectly correct as well.
Here are some sentences I've dug up where impact isn't followed by on:
Both events negatively impacted her life.
from Merriam-Webster
The book discusses the impact of Christian thinking on western society.
from Cambridge Dictionary
...the potential for women to impact the political process.
from Collins Dictionary
As far as I can see, your definition of impact (verb) can be used in four different ways: (from Collins Dictionary):
VERB + on/upon
as in
Such schemes mean little unless they impact on people.
VERB on/upon noun
as in
The reduction in the number of days that Parliament sat would impact on the quality of its work.
VERB noun
as in
...the potential for women to impact the political process. (mentioned
before)
verb-link ADJECTIVE
as in
Trading is being increasingly impacted by the current recession.
Hope I've helped!
answered Dec 22 at 12:13
Lordology
43910
2
In the Cambridge Dictionary example, impact is followed by on.
– jsw29
Dec 22 at 17:01
Not if you go to 'more examples' then look at the last one.
– Lordology
Dec 22 at 17:10
2
Impact is followed by on in the example quoted in this answer: ' . . . the impact . . . on western society'.
– jsw29
Dec 22 at 17:19
But impact of ......... on is different, as it is not a direct impact on, which is what the OP asked for. It's just another way of saying it.
– Lordology
Dec 22 at 18:52
2
In your second example "impact" is a noun, not a verb.
– ApproachingDarknessFish
Dec 22 at 20:49
|
show 1 more comment
Not necessarily. The sentence you've quoted is perfectly correct as well.
Here are some sentences I've dug up where impact isn't followed by on:
Both events negatively impacted her life.
from Merriam-Webster
The book discusses the impact of Christian thinking on western society.
from Cambridge Dictionary
...the potential for women to impact the political process.
from Collins Dictionary
As far as I can see, your definition of impact (verb) can be used in four different ways: (from Collins Dictionary):
VERB + on/upon
as in
Such schemes mean little unless they impact on people.
VERB on/upon noun
as in
The reduction in the number of days that Parliament sat would impact on the quality of its work.
VERB noun
as in
...the potential for women to impact the political process. (mentioned
before)
verb-link ADJECTIVE
as in
Trading is being increasingly impacted by the current recession.
Hope I've helped!
answered Dec 22 at 12:13
Lordology
43910
Not necessarily. The sentence you've quoted is perfectly correct as well.
Here are some sentences I've dug up where impact isn't followed by on:
Both events negatively impacted her life.
from Merriam-Webster
The book discusses the impact of Christian thinking on western society.
from Cambridge Dictionary
...the potential for women to impact the political process.
from Collins Dictionary
As far as I can see, your definition of impact (verb) can be used in four different ways: (from Collins Dictionary):
VERB + on/upon
as in
Such schemes mean little unless they impact on people.
VERB on/upon noun
as in
The reduction in the number of days that Parliament sat would impact on the quality of its work.
VERB noun
as in
...the potential for women to impact the political process. (mentioned
before)
verb-link ADJECTIVE
as in
Trading is being increasingly impacted by the current recession.
Hope I've helped!
answered Dec 22 at 12:13
Lordology
43910
edited Dec 22 at 12:37
answered Dec 22 at 12:13
Lordology
43910
answered Dec 22 at 12:13
Lordology
43910
answered Dec 22 at 12:13
Lordology
43910
43910
2
In the Cambridge Dictionary example, impact is followed by on.
– jsw29
Dec 22 at 17:01
Not if you go to 'more examples' then look at the last one.
– Lordology
Dec 22 at 17:10
2
Impact is followed by on in the example quoted in this answer: ' . . . the impact . . . on western society'.
– jsw29
Dec 22 at 17:19
But impact of ......... on is different, as it is not a direct impact on, which is what the OP asked for. It's just another way of saying it.
– Lordology
Dec 22 at 18:52
2
In your second example "impact" is a noun, not a verb.
– ApproachingDarknessFish
Dec 22 at 20:49
|
show 1 more comment
2
In the Cambridge Dictionary example, impact is followed by on.
– jsw29
Dec 22 at 17:01
Not if you go to 'more examples' then look at the last one.
– Lordology
Dec 22 at 17:10
2
Impact is followed by on in the example quoted in this answer: ' . . . the impact . . . on western society'.
– jsw29
Dec 22 at 17:19
But impact of ......... on is different, as it is not a direct impact on, which is what the OP asked for. It's just another way of saying it.
– Lordology
Dec 22 at 18:52
2
In your second example "impact" is a noun, not a verb.
– ApproachingDarknessFish
Dec 22 at 20:49
2
2
In the Cambridge Dictionary example, impact is followed by on.
– jsw29
Dec 22 at 17:01
In the Cambridge Dictionary example, impact is followed by on.
– jsw29
Dec 22 at 17:01
Not if you go to 'more examples' then look at the last one.
– Lordology
Dec 22 at 17:10
Not if you go to 'more examples' then look at the last one.
– Lordology
Dec 22 at 17:10
2
2
Impact is followed by on in the example quoted in this answer: ' . . . the impact . . . on western society'.
– jsw29
Dec 22 at 17:19
Impact is followed by on in the example quoted in this answer: ' . . . the impact . . . on western society'.
– jsw29
Dec 22 at 17:19
But impact of ......... on is different, as it is not a direct impact on, which is what the OP asked for. It's just another way of saying it.
– Lordology
Dec 22 at 18:52
But impact of ......... on is different, as it is not a direct impact on, which is what the OP asked for. It's just another way of saying it.
– Lordology
Dec 22 at 18:52
2
2
In your second example "impact" is a noun, not a verb.
– ApproachingDarknessFish
Dec 22 at 20:49
In your second example "impact" is a noun, not a verb.
– ApproachingDarknessFish
Dec 22 at 20:49
|
show 1 more comment
Your first example is not idiomatic. If you use "impact" as a verb, the object of the verb (the thing impacted) needs no "on". If you use "impact" as a noun, however, you need the preposition.
answered Dec 22 at 12:24
Hot Licks
19k23677
2
Whether you think it's idiomatic might depend on which side of the pond you live on. See Google Ngrams.
– Peter Shor
Dec 22 at 12:32
2
... and my Ngram seems to show that some elderly prescriptivists would argue that impact shouldn't be used as a verb at all (even though the OED says that it was first used as a verb around 1600, nearly 200 years before it was first used as a noun).
– Peter Shor
Dec 22 at 12:36
1
@PeterShor is right. Also see bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-33223503
– Lordology
Dec 22 at 12:37
add a comment |
Your first example is not idiomatic. If you use "impact" as a verb, the object of the verb (the thing impacted) needs no "on". If you use "impact" as a noun, however, you need the preposition.
answered Dec 22 at 12:24
Hot Licks
19k23677
2
Whether you think it's idiomatic might depend on which side of the pond you live on. See Google Ngrams.
– Peter Shor
Dec 22 at 12:32
2
... and my Ngram seems to show that some elderly prescriptivists would argue that impact shouldn't be used as a verb at all (even though the OED says that it was first used as a verb around 1600, nearly 200 years before it was first used as a noun).
– Peter Shor
Dec 22 at 12:36
1
@PeterShor is right. Also see bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-33223503
– Lordology
Dec 22 at 12:37
add a comment |
Your first example is not idiomatic. If you use "impact" as a verb, the object of the verb (the thing impacted) needs no "on". If you use "impact" as a noun, however, you need the preposition.
answered Dec 22 at 12:24
Hot Licks
19k23677
Your first example is not idiomatic. If you use "impact" as a verb, the object of the verb (the thing impacted) needs no "on". If you use "impact" as a noun, however, you need the preposition.
answered Dec 22 at 12:24
Hot Licks
19k23677
answered Dec 22 at 12:24
Hot Licks
19k23677
answered Dec 22 at 12:24
Hot Licks
19k23677
answered Dec 22 at 12:24
Hot Licks
19k23677
19k23677
2
Whether you think it's idiomatic might depend on which side of the pond you live on. See Google Ngrams.
– Peter Shor
Dec 22 at 12:32
2
... and my Ngram seems to show that some elderly prescriptivists would argue that impact shouldn't be used as a verb at all (even though the OED says that it was first used as a verb around 1600, nearly 200 years before it was first used as a noun).
– Peter Shor
Dec 22 at 12:36
1
@PeterShor is right. Also see bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-33223503
– Lordology
Dec 22 at 12:37
add a comment |
2
Whether you think it's idiomatic might depend on which side of the pond you live on. See Google Ngrams.
– Peter Shor
Dec 22 at 12:32
2
... and my Ngram seems to show that some elderly prescriptivists would argue that impact shouldn't be used as a verb at all (even though the OED says that it was first used as a verb around 1600, nearly 200 years before it was first used as a noun).
– Peter Shor
Dec 22 at 12:36
1
@PeterShor is right. Also see bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-33223503
– Lordology
Dec 22 at 12:37
2
2
Whether you think it's idiomatic might depend on which side of the pond you live on. See Google Ngrams.
– Peter Shor
Dec 22 at 12:32
Whether you think it's idiomatic might depend on which side of the pond you live on. See Google Ngrams.
– Peter Shor
Dec 22 at 12:32
2
2
... and my Ngram seems to show that some elderly prescriptivists would argue that impact shouldn't be used as a verb at all (even though the OED says that it was first used as a verb around 1600, nearly 200 years before it was first used as a noun).
– Peter Shor
Dec 22 at 12:36
... and my Ngram seems to show that some elderly prescriptivists would argue that impact shouldn't be used as a verb at all (even though the OED says that it was first used as a verb around 1600, nearly 200 years before it was first used as a noun).
– Peter Shor
Dec 22 at 12:36
1
1
@PeterShor is right. Also see bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-33223503
– Lordology
Dec 22 at 12:37
@PeterShor is right. Also see bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-33223503
– Lordology
Dec 22 at 12:37
add a comment |
Thanks for contributing an answer to English Language & Usage Stack Exchange!
- Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!
But avoid …
- Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.
- Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.
To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.
Some of your past answers have not been well-received, and you're in danger of being blocked from answering.
Please pay close attention to the following guidance:
- Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!
But avoid …
- Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.
- Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.
To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fenglish.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f478204%2fshould-the-verb-impact-be-always-followed-by-on%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Your first example is not idiomatic.
– Hot Licks
Dec 22 at 12:22
No. For example:
The meteor will impact the Earth soon.– RonJohn
Dec 22 at 18:23
1
The cuts will inevitably impact on service deliveryis incorrect.The cuts will inevitably **have an** impact on service deliveryis the correct grammar. Also,The cuts will inevitably **have a negative** impact on service delivery.– RonJohn
Dec 22 at 18:25
1
Read Peter Shor's comment. Whether it's idiomatic or not depends on whether you're GB or US.
– Lordology
Dec 22 at 19:23