Why is 'on' used in these expressions?











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  1. Be strong on




    I'm not too strong on organic chemistry, so I'm going to get a tutor this semester.





  2. Be low on




    We are running low on rice.





  3. Be long on




    He was short on patience, but long on a sense of his own worth.





  4. Be short on




    The president’s speech was long on colorful phrases but short on solutions.





I think that 'on' is used to convey the meaning of "regarding"



But why is it incorrect to say this way?




  1. Be good on


    I'm not very good on predictions













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    up vote
    3
    down vote

    favorite














    1. Be strong on




      I'm not too strong on organic chemistry, so I'm going to get a tutor this semester.





    2. Be low on




      We are running low on rice.





    3. Be long on




      He was short on patience, but long on a sense of his own worth.





    4. Be short on




      The president’s speech was long on colorful phrases but short on solutions.





    I think that 'on' is used to convey the meaning of "regarding"



    But why is it incorrect to say this way?




    1. Be good on


      I'm not very good on predictions













    share|improve this question


























      up vote
      3
      down vote

      favorite









      up vote
      3
      down vote

      favorite













      1. Be strong on




        I'm not too strong on organic chemistry, so I'm going to get a tutor this semester.





      2. Be low on




        We are running low on rice.





      3. Be long on




        He was short on patience, but long on a sense of his own worth.





      4. Be short on




        The president’s speech was long on colorful phrases but short on solutions.





      I think that 'on' is used to convey the meaning of "regarding"



      But why is it incorrect to say this way?




      1. Be good on


        I'm not very good on predictions













      share|improve this question

















      1. Be strong on




        I'm not too strong on organic chemistry, so I'm going to get a tutor this semester.





      2. Be low on




        We are running low on rice.





      3. Be long on




        He was short on patience, but long on a sense of his own worth.





      4. Be short on




        The president’s speech was long on colorful phrases but short on solutions.





      I think that 'on' is used to convey the meaning of "regarding"



      But why is it incorrect to say this way?




      1. Be good on


        I'm not very good on predictions










      word-choice prepositions






      share|improve this question















      share|improve this question













      share|improve this question




      share|improve this question








      edited 4 hours ago









      Jasper

      17.4k43365




      17.4k43365










      asked 4 hours ago









      SIS

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      5581719






















          2 Answers
          2






          active

          oldest

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          up vote
          7
          down vote













          To my (educated American) ear, sentences 2, 3, and 4 sound natural. All of them have the form "short on <measurable quantity>" or "long on <measurable quantity>".



          In sentence 1, "I'm not too strong in organic chemistry" would sound more natural to me. This sentence is about a field of knowledge that you are either good at, or good in.



          In sentence 5, "I'm not very good with predictions" would sound more natural to me. Unfortunately, both "on" and "with" are unclear in this sentence: Are you not very good at making accurate predictions, or are you not very good at making use of other people's predictions? "I'm not very good at making predictions" would be both clear and natural.






          share|improve this answer



















          • 1




            To my Australian ear - I speak British - I almost agree with @Jasper. The exception is that I'd be pretty definite about preferring at for 1 and 5.
            – Ross Murray
            3 hours ago


















          up vote
          3
          down vote













          I agree with Jasper about #1, so for me the question that underlies your question is what is it about strong and good (when they mean "skillful, capable") that makes them unable to partner with on as low and long can?




          We are low on fuel.



          He is not very long on patience. He is short on patience.




          There, on introduces something for which we have a supply. The supply can be ample or it can have become depleted. We can "run out of" patience just as we can run out of fuel.



          Skill and capability cannot become depleted. We do not have a supply of skills that runs out when we use those skills.






          share|improve this answer





















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            2 Answers
            2






            active

            oldest

            votes








            2 Answers
            2






            active

            oldest

            votes









            active

            oldest

            votes






            active

            oldest

            votes








            up vote
            7
            down vote













            To my (educated American) ear, sentences 2, 3, and 4 sound natural. All of them have the form "short on <measurable quantity>" or "long on <measurable quantity>".



            In sentence 1, "I'm not too strong in organic chemistry" would sound more natural to me. This sentence is about a field of knowledge that you are either good at, or good in.



            In sentence 5, "I'm not very good with predictions" would sound more natural to me. Unfortunately, both "on" and "with" are unclear in this sentence: Are you not very good at making accurate predictions, or are you not very good at making use of other people's predictions? "I'm not very good at making predictions" would be both clear and natural.






            share|improve this answer



















            • 1




              To my Australian ear - I speak British - I almost agree with @Jasper. The exception is that I'd be pretty definite about preferring at for 1 and 5.
              – Ross Murray
              3 hours ago















            up vote
            7
            down vote













            To my (educated American) ear, sentences 2, 3, and 4 sound natural. All of them have the form "short on <measurable quantity>" or "long on <measurable quantity>".



            In sentence 1, "I'm not too strong in organic chemistry" would sound more natural to me. This sentence is about a field of knowledge that you are either good at, or good in.



            In sentence 5, "I'm not very good with predictions" would sound more natural to me. Unfortunately, both "on" and "with" are unclear in this sentence: Are you not very good at making accurate predictions, or are you not very good at making use of other people's predictions? "I'm not very good at making predictions" would be both clear and natural.






            share|improve this answer



















            • 1




              To my Australian ear - I speak British - I almost agree with @Jasper. The exception is that I'd be pretty definite about preferring at for 1 and 5.
              – Ross Murray
              3 hours ago













            up vote
            7
            down vote










            up vote
            7
            down vote









            To my (educated American) ear, sentences 2, 3, and 4 sound natural. All of them have the form "short on <measurable quantity>" or "long on <measurable quantity>".



            In sentence 1, "I'm not too strong in organic chemistry" would sound more natural to me. This sentence is about a field of knowledge that you are either good at, or good in.



            In sentence 5, "I'm not very good with predictions" would sound more natural to me. Unfortunately, both "on" and "with" are unclear in this sentence: Are you not very good at making accurate predictions, or are you not very good at making use of other people's predictions? "I'm not very good at making predictions" would be both clear and natural.






            share|improve this answer














            To my (educated American) ear, sentences 2, 3, and 4 sound natural. All of them have the form "short on <measurable quantity>" or "long on <measurable quantity>".



            In sentence 1, "I'm not too strong in organic chemistry" would sound more natural to me. This sentence is about a field of knowledge that you are either good at, or good in.



            In sentence 5, "I'm not very good with predictions" would sound more natural to me. Unfortunately, both "on" and "with" are unclear in this sentence: Are you not very good at making accurate predictions, or are you not very good at making use of other people's predictions? "I'm not very good at making predictions" would be both clear and natural.







            share|improve this answer














            share|improve this answer



            share|improve this answer








            edited 4 hours ago

























            answered 4 hours ago









            Jasper

            17.4k43365




            17.4k43365








            • 1




              To my Australian ear - I speak British - I almost agree with @Jasper. The exception is that I'd be pretty definite about preferring at for 1 and 5.
              – Ross Murray
              3 hours ago














            • 1




              To my Australian ear - I speak British - I almost agree with @Jasper. The exception is that I'd be pretty definite about preferring at for 1 and 5.
              – Ross Murray
              3 hours ago








            1




            1




            To my Australian ear - I speak British - I almost agree with @Jasper. The exception is that I'd be pretty definite about preferring at for 1 and 5.
            – Ross Murray
            3 hours ago




            To my Australian ear - I speak British - I almost agree with @Jasper. The exception is that I'd be pretty definite about preferring at for 1 and 5.
            – Ross Murray
            3 hours ago












            up vote
            3
            down vote













            I agree with Jasper about #1, so for me the question that underlies your question is what is it about strong and good (when they mean "skillful, capable") that makes them unable to partner with on as low and long can?




            We are low on fuel.



            He is not very long on patience. He is short on patience.




            There, on introduces something for which we have a supply. The supply can be ample or it can have become depleted. We can "run out of" patience just as we can run out of fuel.



            Skill and capability cannot become depleted. We do not have a supply of skills that runs out when we use those skills.






            share|improve this answer

























              up vote
              3
              down vote













              I agree with Jasper about #1, so for me the question that underlies your question is what is it about strong and good (when they mean "skillful, capable") that makes them unable to partner with on as low and long can?




              We are low on fuel.



              He is not very long on patience. He is short on patience.




              There, on introduces something for which we have a supply. The supply can be ample or it can have become depleted. We can "run out of" patience just as we can run out of fuel.



              Skill and capability cannot become depleted. We do not have a supply of skills that runs out when we use those skills.






              share|improve this answer























                up vote
                3
                down vote










                up vote
                3
                down vote









                I agree with Jasper about #1, so for me the question that underlies your question is what is it about strong and good (when they mean "skillful, capable") that makes them unable to partner with on as low and long can?




                We are low on fuel.



                He is not very long on patience. He is short on patience.




                There, on introduces something for which we have a supply. The supply can be ample or it can have become depleted. We can "run out of" patience just as we can run out of fuel.



                Skill and capability cannot become depleted. We do not have a supply of skills that runs out when we use those skills.






                share|improve this answer












                I agree with Jasper about #1, so for me the question that underlies your question is what is it about strong and good (when they mean "skillful, capable") that makes them unable to partner with on as low and long can?




                We are low on fuel.



                He is not very long on patience. He is short on patience.




                There, on introduces something for which we have a supply. The supply can be ample or it can have become depleted. We can "run out of" patience just as we can run out of fuel.



                Skill and capability cannot become depleted. We do not have a supply of skills that runs out when we use those skills.







                share|improve this answer












                share|improve this answer



                share|improve this answer










                answered 4 hours ago









                Tᴚoɯɐuo

                105k677169




                105k677169






























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