Nate asks: What are the proper usages of the words “in” and “on” in a sentence? I often confuse the two. Here are some examples: “The boat is in/on the water,” “We are in/on the planet,” “We’re going to the concert in/on July 1st.”
The use of prepositions in English is frequently idiomatic. General guidelines exist, but be prepared to learn individual expressions in which the preposition does not adhere to the guidelines.
In the case of the prepositions in and on, here are the most usual uses.
In
in mainly denotes “rest at”:
PLACE: He lives in the country. He lives in Chicago. (BUT, He lives at 2300 Wabash Ave.)
TIME: I’ll be there in an hour.
MANNER: The child ran down the steps in tears.
REFERENCE: In my opinion we need a referendum. They are happy in their marriage.
On
on indicates proximity and position above or outside:
PLACE: He sat on the fence.
TIME: He was not thinking well on that occasion.
REFERENCE: He asked my opinion on the matter.
CONDITION: We’ll hire him on your recommendation.
The examples given in the question:
We are on the planet.
We are going to the concert on July 1.
But
We are going to the concert in July.
As for the example about the boat, either is correct, according to what is meant:
The boat is in the water. (As opposed to being on dry land for the winter)
The boat is on the water. (Look at all those boats out there on the water!)
However, it would be unidiomatic to say The ship is in the ocean or in the sea, unless you mean that it has sunk. The ship is on the sea.
Related to the question of when to use in is that of when to use into. While in denotes the state of being “at rest” in a place, or at least being (in a sense) surrounded by something, into denotes motion towards:
The dog jumped into the water.
The children (who were already in the water) jumped in the water.
When deciding whether to use in or into, ask yourself if the person or thing you are talking about is moving from one place to another. If so, use into.
More about prepositions in later posts. Stay tuned!
I think i get the explanation above, but please i need to check with you on this one. Do you put one “in copy” of a mail or you put them “on copy”?
I always thought the former was correct, but i started working at this new place and everyone, from the CEO down to the clerk say ” please put me ON COPY!! and it really gets on my nerves, but i realise that i need to find have a grammatical reason to back my assertion.
I don’t know what country you are in, Fenella, but I’ve never heard either phrase in England. Over here, we say, “send me a copy” or “CC me”. However, in your circumstances, I would do as the CEO does.
can you tell me which one is correct
influence of media in our lives
influence of media on our lives
I am writing the proposal, but I confuse how to use “in” or “on”
in the topic “A study of IT (in or on) Thai website)
How about this wee observation. The use of ‘in’ and ‘on’ CAN relate to size – You travel IN a car (small) but ON a train (large ), sail IN a boat (small ) but ON a ship (large), you holiday IN a country(large) but ON an island (small ). I suppose that this will serve to merely confuse people even further !
but what about weather?what do you use?is it in or on?
Is correct to say “Call from contact not registered on twitter”
thanks
I still get terribly confused by that :/
Yes, thankyou. It really helped me alot. 🙂
I wish this website could help me in my upcoming exam. 🙂
Im helping my daughter on her assignments right now. But it comes to a point where I couldn’t identify which one is proper to use:
Working in Cebu
or
Working at Cebu
I actually told here that she can just use either of the two. But somehow, I feel one is more appropriate.
Can anybody enlighten me on this please?
Thanks.
am also comfused the uses of IN and ON.what is the principal of using these words.
i learned a lot by reading all of your “in” and “on” queries and answers.because i too have this kind of problem.So thanks a lot Guys.Keep it going.
Thanks a lot for this piece of very informative tip. It is very helpful.
Which one is correct, On the same day or In the same day?
I often confused with “for” vs “on”. For example, “leave on the occasion” or “Leave for the occasion”? “Algorithm for distributed computing” or “Algorithm on distributed computing”? Thank in advance.
I searched this page to only know that when I say month & day I use on. But if only month, use in. Thank you !!
Hi ..
this page is very useful , english is my third language so i find it very difficult sometimes to use in and on. I send a lot of emails and reports on my current job ..
do you guys know of any corporate or business english books ?
This is good…bt stil nid more explanations with at ,on,in
This article helped me a lot. But, my confusion is when to use “in” or “on” with the following:
There is an adjustment in remittances of the staff.
…adjustment in Trial Balance.
correction(s) on/in loans or savings of our staff.
I really need an answer and I hope you can help me. For your info, I usually send emails and text messages to my colleagues informing them about the adjustments or corrections in their reports, so it would be beneficial for me to have a clear message with correct grammar.
Thanks.
when should i use in or at?
ex. im watching spongebob in/at nickelodeon?
im still confuse..
I too bungle up my write-ups every time I confront this situation.
…originated in the land or
…originated on the land
Thanks for the proper usage of in and on .But can u please help me to understand well how to use in and on ? Because frankly speaking,sometimes i was confused how to used that !
I hope you will help me.
Thank you and God speed!
I have a question
Is it correct to say San Francisco is on the West Coast of The United States or is it San Francisco is in the West Coast of The United States??
Please help me
What is the logic behind statements like “sitting in a car/taxi” and “sitting on a bus”? Any grammar rule to say so? If yes please do share.
Thanks in advance.
Hi there:
Thanks for the explanation, but what about, in/on a car or a train, or an airplane, or a motorcycle?
Hi. I’m still a bit confused on the use of “in” and “on”.
Which is correct;
What will you do in winter vacation?
or
What will you do on winter vacation?
I’m a little bit confused on the use of “in” and “on” at the same time. Take for example: 1. He will continue to linger on in darkness. 2. i don’t want any unprofessional doctor to be in on my case.
What will you do on winter vacation.
On –> the scope is “upcoming”
In –> the scope is “during”
Which is correct
Assembly would be conducted in the back lawn.
Or
Assembly would be conducted on the back lawn.
When referring to reports that contain maps and figures, is it correct to say: “As shown in Figure 3” or “As shown on Figure 3”?
I, sometimes, confuse the utilization of prepositions, but it is not because I do not know how to use them; it is rather a questioning of my proficiency with English as a second language. In my every day routine, I notice major grammatical errors committed by native English speakers, and tend to double and triple check myself. Posters such as these, help me to reinforce my understanding of the English lexicon and clarify any questions I may have. As a foreigner, I try harder than the rest to perfect my written and spoken English. Many thanks!
Hi! A big organization uses “in section 1, 2, 3 and so on” on all their paperwork/forms that has multiple sections whenever they write an email. As what I understand, “on” is used to denote a position for surfaces or position just above or outside the area. I believe ‘on’ is more appropriate than ‘in’ whenever they refer to any sections on any paperwork. Could you please enlighten me? Thanks!
Should i say on December or in December?
Temraz,
The idiom is “in December.”
If you add the day, you would say, “on December 12.”
Dear @nix
It should be
I am watching Spongebob on nickelodeon at so and so PM /AM
Which one is correct?
I am an expert on Economics, or I am an expert in economics?
I grew up in and returned to South Carolina after spending a decade in other parts of America and abroad. I realize that the idiom “standing/waiting ON line” must be correct, as it is used throughout every other part of the US as well as other English speaking countries. However, most southerners speak of “waiting/standing IN line” (to mean “queuing up” to pay for groceries, for example). Could you please explain why this is incorrect?
I congratulate you in/on your success….???? Which one is right….. Also in/on your birth???