How to use "into" and "onto" in sentences ? Can we use "onto" in any sense while talking of people and if yes, how ? Do these two quoted words have a common usage anywhere ?
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3In the future, a question like this one is probably better suited for [ell.se]. – J.R. Sep 04 '14 at 10:02
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Not as far as I have ever heard or seen. "Into" is used in the context of, say, walking into something like a building or room. "Onto" is used in the context of placing things or people on other things such as tables, etc.
Ie. I walked into the bar and placed my bag onto the counter.
Hope that helps...
Madeleine Thomas
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RE: "Into" is used in the context of, say, walking into something like a building or room – don't read too much into that. – J.R. Sep 04 '14 at 09:58
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@J.R., by “don't read too much into that” do you mean “I don't understand that”, or “I don't agree”, or what? – James Waldby - jwpat7 Sep 04 '14 at 16:23
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Madeleine, “placed my bag onto the counter” is less-natural English than “placed my bag on the counter” – James Waldby - jwpat7 Sep 04 '14 at 16:24
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If someone really enjoys something (as a fan, enthusiast, or active participant), you could say that person is into it:
- He is really into ice hockey.
- My wife is really into gardening.
Onto can be used to say someone is catching on mentally, or has a good idea:
- You think the butler may have done it? I think you may be onto something there.
J.R.
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This answer deserves more attention. Into and onto also apply to abstract concepts where you're not dealing with physical objects that you can visualize. This is most of the time what people truly struggle with. – megamaiku Feb 01 '21 at 01:23
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The meanings of the words are quite separate, where the primary difference is that "onto" denotes external whereas "into" is internal.
Therefore, it's socially acceptable to put a hat onto someone's head but if you were to try and put it into their head, I'm sure they would object.
Dave M
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