Olga_L
"improved" and "improved upon" Can I leave out the word "upon" in the sentence below? What's the difference between "to improve" and "to improve upon"? "Positive comments were made about the emailing policies we introduced two years ago. However, overall face-to-face communication can be seriously improved upon."
Oct 3, 2011 6:56 PM
Answers · 3
2
We want to improve upon our overall face to face communication. I recommend using "upon" here. It shows there is a project here, and you are not talking generally about communication.
October 4, 2011
1
Olga_L, The difference between improve and improve on/upon: improve (trans)....to make better improve upon or improve on.....to make better than; to advance beyond However, overall face-to-face communication can be seriously improved upon. = However, we can seriously advance overall face-to-face communication beyond the email policy changes we made two years ago. Basically, Eliot is correct. "Improve upon" is used to make a comparison with the ongoing project mentioned in the first sentence. --- However, overall face-to-face communication can be seriously improved....This sentence could be construed as a generalization not dependent on the first sentence.
October 4, 2011
1
Yeah, you can remove "upon" and still have the same meaning. I can't think of any examples where adding upon changes the meaning of just "improved." I'm pretty sure you can use just improve in any sentence you can use improve upon in.
October 3, 2011
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