ENGLISH
REFERENCE

on the other hand

prep. phr..
B1 Intermediate Oxford

prep. phr.. you use this to introduce a second point or idea that is different from the first one.

prep. phr.. a transitional phrase used to introduce a contrasting point of view, fact, or argument, typically following a statement introduced by 'on the one hand'.


SIMPLE

The hotel is expensive; on the other hand, it is very beautiful.

CONTEXTUAL

Living in the city is exciting, but on the other hand, the cost of living is much higher than in the countryside.

COMPLEX

The new policy may stimulate short-term economic growth; on the other hand, it risks increasing the national debt to unsustainable levels over the next decade.

Usage

often used as a sentence connector or after a semicolon to show contrast.

Teaching tip

encourage students to use it in pair with 'on the one hand' for balanced essays, though it can also stand alone to pivot a conversation.

Pitfall

In the other handOn the other handthe phrase always uses the preposition 'on' to refer to the metaphorical side of an argument.

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