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In to vs. into and On to vs. onto

Feb 18, 2021 | Writing

“The cats jumped onto their tower and fell asleep.”

Do you know when you’re supposed to write IN TO vs. INTO? What about ON TO vs. ONTO?

Advanced English users and native speakers alike often have to stop and think about this one! Here are some ways to make the decision easier.

(Note: This distinction between one word and two words only matters when you write. Pronunciation won’t change.)

Onto vs. on to

ONTO: a preposition of location referring to a position on a surface; often implies movement or motion.

  • The cat jumped ONTO the kitchen counter.
  • The dog hopped ONTO the couch next to me.

One trick is to add UP before ON. If it makes sense, then ONTO is ok.

  • The cat jumped [up] onto the counter.
  • He climbed [up] onto the ladder.

ON TO: meaning onwards or towards; most often seen when ON is part of a phrasal verb.

  • Let’s move ON TO the next point.
    • ‘move on’ is a phrasal verb meaning ‘continue’
  • All qualifiers go ON TO the final round of the game.
    • ‘go on’ is a phrasal verb that (in this case) means ‘advance’
  • Don’t log ON TO my computer. 
    • But not: Don’t log [up] on to my computer. = on to not onto
    • Note: ‘to log on’ or ‘to log in’ are phrasal verbs; the nouns ‘a logon’  or ‘a login’ are one word.

Into vs. in to

INTO places something physically inside something else. It’s a preposition of location, just like ‘around’, ‘over’, ‘under’, etc.

  • The cat hates being put INTO his carrier to go to the vet.
  • I put the letter INTO the envelope.
  • He sorted his class notes INTO separate folders.

At the end of the sentence, if something is inside something like a box, then you use INTO.

  • The magician put the handkerchief INTO the hat.

BUT: We can also use INTO to show a change or transformation.

  • The handkerchief turned INTO a rabbit!
  • Everyone’s mood improves as winter changes INTO spring.

IN + TO (written as two words) are usually seen as part of a phrasal verb like: 

  • Drop in
  • Turn in
  • Hand in
  • Bring in
  • Move in
  • Log in

It sounds the same when someone says either sentence below, but only the first sentence is written correctly with the phrasal verb ‘drop in’ separated from the infinitive ‘to say’:

He dropped in to say hello. (correct)

OR

X He dropped into say hello. (incorrect)

Some other examples:

  • My parents can’t log IN TO their computer.
  • She handed it IN TO me. (She handed in her paper to me.)
  • They moved IN TO the house last weekend.

Because ‘move in’ is a phrasal verb, technically ‘in to’ should be two words. 

BUT, because the most frequently used parts of a language are often the most irregular, it’s also correct and increasingly common to write: 

  • They moved INTO the house last weekend. 

This adaptation is probably because it makes sense that the people will be physically located in the house. Or, perhaps because the move can be seen as a transformation. 

However, you would still write: 

  • They moved ON TO a new house.

(Showing that they have physically or emotionally left behind one house and continued to a new house, not that they are UP ON the roof of a house).

I’m really into you. 

And just because there are always more exceptions to the rules…remember “to be into something” means that you’re deeply interested or really like a person, activity, or topic. 

  • My nephews are really INTO dinosaurs.
  • A few years ago, I got INTO yoga.
  • He seems really INTO his new girlfriend.