fall on

To happen or have its date on a particular day.

• My birthday falls on Sunday.
• The holiday fell on a weekend last year.
• Does the first day of term fall on a Monday?

How to use it: fall on a day/date (The festival falls on 12 June this year.)

Similar words: occur on, be on

Common phrases: fall on a monday, fall on a weekend

To begin experiencing an unhappy or difficult period.

• The family fell on hard times.
• Many local shops have fallen on difficult times.
• Will the charity help people who fall on hard times?

How to use it: fall on + adjective + times (The company fell on hard times after losing its biggest customer.)

Similar words: run into, experience

Common phrases: fall on hard times, fall on difficult times

If a task or cost does this, someone becomes responsible for it.

• The responsibility falls on you.
• Most of the childcare fell on her.
• It will fall on the council to find a solution.

How to use it: something falls on someone (The cost of repairs falls on the owner.); it falls on someone to do something (It falls on me to tell everyone the news.)

Similar words: fall to, rest on

Common phrases: fall on someone, fall on parents

If your eyes or gaze do this, you look at or notice someone or something.

• Her eyes fell on the letter.
• My gaze fell on a familiar face in the crowd.
• As he turned, his eyes fell on the broken window.

How to use it: eyes/gaze fall on someone/something (His gaze fell on the empty chair.)

Similar words: alight on, settle on

Common phrases: fall on someone, fall on something