noun
BAD : It is impossible to tell whether a man is married or NOT. On the contrary, women usually have 'Mrs' or 'Miss' before their name.
GOOD : It is impossible to tell whether a man is married or not. On the other hand, women usually have 'Mrs' or 'Miss' before their name.
BAD : I've never been able to cook. My sister on the contrary can bake wonderful biscuits and cakes.
GOOD : I've never been able to cook. My sister on the other hand can bake wonderful biscuits and cakes.
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Use on the contrary to show that you strongly disagree with a previous statement and believe that the opposite is true: 'Your parents didn't want you to go abroad, did they?' 'On the contrary, they were all for it.'
To introduce a statement that is in sharp contrast with a previous statement, use on the other hand : 'These new XJ100 computers are amazingly fast. On the other hand, they're very expensive.'