Based on... Basing on...... Please Explain

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Based on... Basing on...... Please Explain

by vijju » Mon Mar 15, 2010 2:17 am
Hey All.

My question is about the usage of "Based on" and "Basing on"

Can "Basing on" be used in any case? Is this correct?


Based on the figures, the management of the company had to take a decision.

Basing on the figures, the management of the company had to take a decision.


Which one of the both is correct?

Thanks in advance.
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by Osirus@VeritasPrep » Tue Mar 16, 2010 9:23 am
The idiom is based on. I have never seen "basing on" ever in my life used in writing.
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by [email protected] » Tue Mar 16, 2010 11:15 pm
Based on the figures, the management of the company had to take a decision.

Basing on the figures, the management of the company had to take a decision.

Out of the two sentences that you have provided the first one is correct and idiomatic.

The second sentence would have made more sense if it had started with 'Basing it on'. But then again, 'it' doesnot have a precedent and it is unclear as to what it refers to.

But it is good enough to say that in such a scenario, it is always better to choose 'Based on' .
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by mj41 » Wed Mar 17, 2010 2:00 am
I am not expert but it seems to me that both are incorrect... as for teh first one according to teh sentence, the management was based on the figures. The sentence should be:

Based on the figures, the decision....... or

Using the figures, the management ....

please correct me if I am wrong

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by harshavardhanc » Wed Mar 17, 2010 2:13 am
mj41 wrote:I am not expert but it seems to me that both are incorrect... as for teh first one according to teh sentence, the management was based on the figures. The sentence should be:

Based on the figures, the decision....... or

Using the figures, the management ....

please correct me if I am wrong
absolutely correct!

In fact, there are many problems in OG, which test this modifier.

the noun that follows the comma after the opening modifier containing based on gets modified by it.

Hence, in the first sentence management is based on the figures, which doesn't make any sense.

Based on the figures, the decision.... seems fine
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by [email protected] » Wed Mar 17, 2010 2:14 am
mj41 wrote:I am not expert but it seems to me that both are incorrect... as for teh first one according to teh sentence, the management was based on the figures. The sentence should be:

Based on the figures, the decision....... or

Using the figures, the management ....

please correct me if I am wrong
Ooops.

mj41 - you've identified the modifier error. My bad.

'Based on the figures' modifies 'Management' rather than 'Decisions' in the first sentence.

Excellent error spotting. :mrgreen:
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by vijju » Wed Mar 17, 2010 2:15 am
Thank you all for your posts.

The sentences have a problem. I vote for it as well.

Is there any scenario in which a usage of 'Basing on' is correct?

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by [email protected] » Wed Mar 17, 2010 2:23 am
vijju wrote:Thank you all for your posts.

The sentences have a problem. I vote for it as well.

Is there any scenario in which a usage of 'Basing on' is correct?
IMHO, 'Basing on' can be used in standard english conversation.

Person 1: What are you basing your argument on ?
Person 2: I am basing my argument on the fact that I know the answer.

In the above sentence, 'Basing on' is valid because it clearly fills the blank in 'Basing _____ on' - 'Basing my argument on' . But in your original sentence that was not the case.

Please correct me if I am wrong.
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