Touch on means to mention a topic briefly without going into detail. The presentation touched on costs: they came up, but nobody discussed them properly. That's why it's a handy way to step around an awkward question: we only touched on the budget means it came up, but nobody had to argue about it. Touch upon means the same and sounds more formal.
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touch on/upon + topic; touch on how / why / whether
- The presentation touched on the cost of repairs.
- We touched upon transport but spent most of the meeting discussing housing.
- The final chapter touches on why the plan failed.
What changed
First versionThe speaker touched about the funding problem.
RevisionThe speaker touched on the funding problem.
We talk about or speak about a topic, so about slips into touched about. But touch in this sense takes on or upon: touched on the funding problem.
Bring up means raise a topic and start a conversation about it. Go into means discuss in detail: we didn't go into details. Touch on means mention it and move on.
Your turn
Complete the expression meaning mention briefly: The article touches ___ the history of the bridge.
Show the answer
on — Mentioning a topic briefly is touch on something. About goes with talk, not with this construction.
Say which side issue was briefly mentioned at a meeting, and name its main topic.
We touched on parking, but most of the discussion focused on pedestrian safety.
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