student asking question

How are they different between saying just "on you" and "on your person" like this sentence? I'm curious about their difference in nuance.

teacher

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

There really isn't a difference between these two! They essentially have the same meaning. Both of these phrases mean to be carrying something with you. I am unsure of why he uses this phrase instead of "on you" but both are interchangeable. Ex: Do you happen to have gum on your person? Ex: He had drugs on his person. He is lucky he didn't get arrested. Ex: She always has headache medication on her due to her frequent migraines. Ex: Do you have a phone on you? I need to call my dad.

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