Evidence and proof · Opinions and society
on the face of it
apparently true
On the face of it means that something seems true from the information available.
This vs that
On the face of it, the plan looks affordable.
A body of evidence supports the plan.
Hear it in real life
Is the new bus route a success?
On the face of it, yes, although we need a few more months of figures.
On the face of it, the proposal sounds fair, but the small print tells a different story.
Which sounds natural?
Psst — which one would you actually say?
The phrase is a compact, natural way to signal a first impression without claiming certainty.
The mistake everyone makes
Not: On the face of ‸ it seems like a good idea.
Say: On the face of it, it seems like a good idea.
Add a subject such as 'it' after the introductory phrase.
Say it together
Whole chunks natives use with it.
on the face of it, ___
On the face of it, the plan seems reasonable.
On the face of it, the cheaper option looks better.
Phrases to borrow
More for talking about evidence and proof.
the evidence suggests
The evidence suggests that sleep affects concentration.
there's no evidence that
There's no evidence that the product improves memory.
Evidence and proof words
Opinions and society · Evidence and proof: the words around “on the face of it”.
More connectionsEasy to mix up · More evidence and proof words9
Easy to mix up
Your turn: say it out loud
On the face of it, it looks like a good deal.
Say it out loud two or three times, until it feels like yours.
on the face of it
apparently true
“On the face of it, the proposal sounds fair, but the small print tells a different story.”
heytardy