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[gloria_taipei]

In Cambridge Dictionary, a sentence goes like this: "There was a pile of books on top of (=on) the table." That seems to mean "on top of" equals "on."

There's also phrasing like "on the top of the mountain."

What's the difference between "on top of" and "on the top of"?

Thanks.

[gloria_taipei]

Could anyone answer my Q?

[CP]

I don't think there is much difference between "on top of" and "on the top of," but I think "on top of" is more commonly used.

The plate is on top of the table. This means that it is resting on the flat surface of the table.

There is snow on top of the mountain. This means that the mountain has a snowy top but no snow lower down.

The cat was perched on the top of the ladder. This would mean that the ladder was upright, maybe leaning against a wall, and the cat was sitting at or near the top rung. If it was on top of the ladder, it would more likely mean that the ladder was lying flat on the floor, but the cat was perched on it.

Probably other people have better examples.
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