On to vs. Onto
Rule 1: Use onto as one word if you can add up before on.
Example: He climbed (up) onto the roof.
Example: She held on to her child in the crowd. (She did not hold up her child.)
Rule 2: Use onto when you mean fully aware of; informed about.
Example: We canceled Julia’s surprise party when we realized she was onto our plan.
Click here to learn hundreds of distinctions between common words.
Posted on Wednesday, January 6th, 2010 at 8:53 am
44 Responses to “On to vs. Onto”
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Good morning, I need to say many thanks for an great web-site about a topic I have had an curiosity in for some time now. I’ve been exploring in and reading through the comments and only wanted to express my many thanks for giving me some pretty helpful reading material. I anticipate reading more, and taking a more active part in the comments here, while picking up some expertise as well
Thank you!
Using ‘up” is such a simple solution. Thank you. Your blog is invaluable, especially when working as a technical writer among software engineers
I am glad you find it helpful, Ron.
Excellent tip! I’ve never heard that before, but it makes it all clear.
Thank you for your kind comment, Lance.
In the sentence “I knew they were onto/on to us,” which is correct?
I knew they were onto us.
Would you say that “open plan living areas spill onto a deck”? or on to? Wasn’t sure about this one!
Open plan living areas spill onto a deck.
What about “you made it on to/onto a list of contenders” ? On to ?
You made it onto a list of contenders.
What about “turn on to South Blvd.” vs. “turn onto South Blvd.”?
Turn onto South Blvd.
Another easy solution is you can usually replace onto with upon. If not, you should probably be saying: on to.
This website is helpful! Thanks!
Yes, that is a good way to make sure you are using the correct word. Thanks for sharing.
Hi, do we say “pour the water on the flowers” or “pour the water on to the flowers” or “pour the water onto the flowers”?
Either “pour the water on the flowers” or “pour the water onto the flowers” would be grammatically correct.
What about “I logged onto/on to Skype” ?
I logged on to Skype.
I’m confused by a couple of the examples above by adding up to onto that infers in that sentence that up means up vs. down, or a spill and a pour goes up vs. down due to gravity. If adding up truly means the direction up or even adding up in quantity, it seems nonsensical to add up in these instances: 1) Open plan living areas spill (up) onto a deck. Spills or falls can’t go up. 2) Pour the water onto the flowers. Pouring water (up) is impossible. Help me understand how adding the word up works if the action it creates in the sentence can’t happen. I like the idea of adding up but I can see myself doubting the reasoning and therefore making the wrong on to/onto choice. Thanks for your help!
In the first sentence, “Open plan living areas spill onto a deck,” the word spill does not take on the meaning of a liquid running out. Instead, it means flow (as in flow of space). With this meaning, it makes sense to say that open plan living areas spill upon a deck.
In the case of the second sentence, “Pour the water onto the flowers,” the technique suggested by “megan” above is more useful. If you think of it as “Pour water upon the flowers,” it makes more sense than “Pour water up onto the flowers.”
Which is correct: “…he was able to hold on to his branch” OR “…he was able to hold onto his branch”?
How about “…just to hang on to the branch…” OR “…just to hang onto the branch…”?
Using the “upon = onto” rule, the 1st example should be “on to” and the second “onto.” Agree? Or does it matter? I prefer “onto” in both cases.
Since you cannot add up before on in either of your examples, and, considering the definition of onto in The American Heritage Dictionary of “on top of, to a position on, upon,” use on to in both sentences.
He was able to hold on to his branch.
Just hang on to the branch.
This is just one of the many helps I’ve found on your website. I’ve recently become an editor for a new novelist. I’ve used this website to check words and usage I ‘m not certain of. Often I am right. Sometimes I don’t know. Sometimes I am wrong. But this website has been an invaluable resource for me to learn from and be certain that my projects are in great shape when finished.
I am glad you find our website helpful, Janet. Good luck with your work.
I am preparing my wedding invitations and I am writing the directions to the church and hotel. I don’t know whether to say “turn right onto Boston Road” or “turn right on to Boston Road.” Thanks for your advice! Elizabeth
Turn right onto Boston Road.
I’m a transcriptionist, and I have run into two separate instances.
Number 1: “I didn’t know there would be interest added on to the loan.”
Number 2: “So what initially was $10, onto that was added interest.”
Any help would be awesome!
I didn’t know there would be interest added on to the loan.
So what initially was $10, on to that was added interest.
How about the word “Log On” and “Log onto” when telling customers that they can check their account balance when they have log on to their internet banking account?
It should be “log on to your account” or “log onto your account”? I used the former. Is it correct?
Since the expression is “log on,” use “log on to your account.”
Hi, Jane.
Would you say “That is something worth holding on to.” OR “That is something worth holding onto.”? My preference would be for “on to”.
Thank you.
Your preference is correct.
This is somewhat similar to Maria’s inquiry. There’s a lyric in a song that is written on the band’s website as “Hold onto chance” but I think it should be “Hold on to chance”. Which is correct? Thank you.
You are correct.
Hi,
Would this be correct?
Put your hand (up) onto this shoulder.
Yes, that is correct.
Very interesting…i thought onto was my word but now all this makes me think otherwise…as i do not need up.
Here is my phrase.
Onto day four.
I guess it should be On to day four.
This looks so odd to my eye. What do you think?
On to day four is correct.
Is someone elected onto the board of directors or on to the board of directors? Thanks!
On is an unnecessary preposition in this case. It would be better to write, “She was elected to the board of directors.” Once elected, you might write, “She is on the board of directors.”
Is this book available in hard copy? I would like to have a copy. With a PhD and a PsyD under my belt, that means two dissertations: no one is as picky as a PhD panel! Your insights are concise, easy to understand — excellent.
Thank you for the kind words. You may order the book through a number of different sources at http://www.grammarbook.com/grammar_book.asp.