Page 276 - Practical English Usage 3ed - Michael Swan, Oxford

- A moment later the ball was in the goal.
The ball rolled slowly into the goal. (NOT ••• f'61lett sl8wly in the gBal.)
- She was walking in the garden. - The cat's on the roofagain. Then she walked into the house. How does it get onto the roof? Note that into and onto are normally written as single words. On to is also
possible in British English.
2 in and on for movement
After some verbs (e.g. throw. jump. push. put. fall) we can use both in and into. or on and onto. to talk about directional movement. We prefer int%nto when we think of the movement itself. and inIon when we think more of the end of the movement - the place where somebody or something will be. Compare:
- The children keep jumping into the flowerbeds.
Go and jump in the river.
- In the experiment, we put glowing magnesium into jars ofoxygen.
Could you put the ham in the fridge?
- He was trying to throw his hat onto the roof.
Throw another log on the fire.
We use in and on after sit down and arrive.
He sat down in the armchair, and I sat down on the floor. (NOT He sat tl8wn fftt8...OR : sattl8wn8nt8...)
We arrive in Athens at midday. (NOT USUALLY We arrive into Athens ...) For arrive al ..., see 81.
3 into for change
We normally use into after verbs suggesting change.
When she kissed the frog, it changed into a handsome prince.
(NOT ••• chttrtgetl iii a htlntis6me prince.)
Can you translate this into Chinese? (NOT ••• trat13late t>'1is iff Chi,lese?)
Cut can be followed by into or in. Cut the onion in(to) small pieces.
And note the expression in half.
I broke it in half. (NOT ••• int8 httlf.)
4 in and on as adverbs
In and on are used as adverbs for both position and movement. I stayed in last night. Come in! (NOT C8me int8.~
What have you got on? Put your coat on.
For the difference belween in and 10. see 270.
270 in and to
1 go to school in ... etc
After expressions like go to school. go to work. we use ill. not to. to say where the school, work etc is located.
He went to school in BristoL (NOT He flJefft t8 st:h881 t8 Brist8L) At is also possible. (For the difference between in and at. see 81.)
She went to university at/in Oxford.
in and to 270
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