touch on

mention or talk about a topic briefly

B2

What does "touch on sth" mean?

To touch on something means to mention it briefly or deal with it in a limited way, without going into much detail. It signals that a topic is being acknowledged rather than fully explored — the speaker or writer is aware of it but is not making it the main focus. This phrase is commonly used in presentations, lectures, essays, interviews, and discussions when someone wants to cover several points at a surface level. A key feature of this meaning is brevity: if someone explores a topic thoroughly, you would use a different expression instead. It also appears frequently in meta-discourse, where speakers describe what they are doing, such as signalling to an audience that they will briefly address a point before moving on.

Examples

How to use it

touch on + topic/issue/subject

The most common pattern — the object is always an abstract topic, issue, or theme that is briefly mentioned.

The documentary touches on several environmental concerns without examining any of them in depth.

touch on + pronoun (it/them/this/that)

Pronouns always follow 'on' — they can never appear between 'touch' and 'on'.

The report mentions the funding gap but only touches on it briefly.

touch on + topic + adverb (briefly/only/lightly/merely)

Adverbs like 'briefly', 'only', or 'lightly' are often added to reinforce that the coverage is superficial or passing.

She only touched on the ethical questions before moving to her main argument.

would like to / want to + touch on + topic

This pattern is common in spoken discourse when a presenter or speaker signals they are about to mention something.

I'd like to touch on a few key points before we open the floor to questions.

touch on + the question of / the issue of + noun phrase

This extended pattern is especially common in formal writing and academic or journalistic contexts.

The article touches on the question of whether remote work affects team cohesion.

Common Collocations

touch on a topictouch on an issuetouch on a subjecttouch on several pointstouch on a themetouch on the question of

Common Mistakes

Trying to separate the phrasal verb

'Touch on' is inseparable, so the object must always come after 'on'. Placing anything between 'touch' and 'on' is incorrect.

✗ She touched the subject on briefly.
✓ She touched on the subject briefly.
Using 'touch about' instead of 'touch on'

'Touch about' is not standard English and will sound unnatural to native speakers. The correct preposition is always 'on'.

✗ The lecture touched about the history of the movement.
✓ The lecture touched on the history of the movement.
Confusing 'touch on' with 'go into'

'Touch on' means to mention something briefly, while 'go into' means to examine it in detail. Using 'touch on' when you mean thorough coverage — or vice versa — changes the meaning significantly.

✗ The professor touched on every aspect of the theory over the three-hour seminar.
✓ The professor went into every aspect of the theory over the three-hour seminar.

Usage

This phrasal verb is neutral in register and works in both formal writing and everyday speech. 'Touch upon' is a slightly more formal alternative that means exactly the same thing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can 'touch on' be used in the passive, like 'this issue was touched on'?

Technically possible, but it tends to sound awkward and is rarely used. It's much more natural to keep 'touch on' in the active voice — for example, 'The speaker touched on this issue' rather than 'This issue was touched on by the speaker'.

What's the difference between 'touch on' and 'touch upon'?

'Touch upon' means exactly the same thing as 'touch on' — they are interchangeable. 'Touch upon' sounds slightly more formal, so you may see it more often in academic writing, while 'touch on' is more common in everyday speech and writing.

Can the subject of 'touch on' be a thing, like a book or a film?

Yes, absolutely. Non-human subjects are very natural with this phrasal verb — you can say 'The novel touches on themes of loss' or 'Her speech touched on the challenges facing young people'. Any source of communication or expression can be the subject.

Does 'touch on' always mean the coverage is very short?

It always signals that something is not being fully explored — the focus is on the brevity or superficiality of coverage rather than an exact word count. A paragraph could 'touch on' an idea if it doesn't examine it thoroughly, and a whole chapter could still only 'touch on' a broad topic.

Is it natural to use 'touch on' in everyday conversation, or is it only for formal situations?

'Touch on' is neutral in register, so it works in both casual and formal contexts. You might say 'We touched on it during the meeting' just as naturally as 'The report touches on several key concerns'. It is particularly common in spoken presentations and written summaries.

Ready to practise?

Practise 1,000+ English phrasal verbs with interactive gap-fill exercises.

Start Practising →