On/IN

Question

When do we use "on the forum" and "in the forum"?I posted it on the forumI logged in the forum.the thread is on/in the forum ?any other example?

Rowaa · Accepted Answer

Hi ...
I Think Both Of Them Are Right...
And I Have A Problem Too With In / On.. When Can I Can Use It...?etc

Tinanam0102 · Answer

Hi Elda and Rowaa,

This piece of information on Preposition was written by Knoff, one of the volunteer teahers at this forum. I apologize I couldn't locate this specific link but I copied it down last week. Please see the below in blue. It really helps. Hope you enjoy.

Hello, guest! I'll try to help you with these pesky prepositions. I'll try to tell you which of your examples are correct, and, for the choices that are not correct, if the preposition might be correct in a different situation.

Please refer to the values in the spreadsheet. ("in" the contents)
Look, someone spilled coffee on the spreadsheet. ("on" the surface)

What's mentioned in the document cannot be true.
The signature on the document is a forgery.

The value is missing from the spreadsheet.

Put the book on the table.
Hang the chandelier over the table.
(I'll talk about "on top of" later)

I'll complete this in the next few weeks/over the next few weeks -- both okay, but "in" can be anytime within the next few weeks - maybe you won't do it until the very last day. "Over" implies that you will be working gradually and frequently throughout the next few weeks.

I'll clean my apartment over the weekend.
I'll clean my apartment this weekend/next weekend.
(There was a long thread recently about "this" and "next" regarding the calendar -- different people use the terms differently, there is often some ambiguity.)

Don't throw it at me - most common.
Dont throw it on me -- only if "it" is something that might cover the person completely, literally or metaphorically -- Don't throw that blanket on me. Don't try to throw the blame on me. (If someone is on fire, you would throw a blanket ON them, not AT them, to smother the flames.)

I watched it on TV.
I put the vase of flowers on the TV.

The table is in the room.
I really can't think of any situation where we would say "on the room"!

I left "on" and "on top of" for the end because it takes some more effort to explain. In most cases, we just say "on." [Put the book on the table. Put the suitcase on the bed. Put this hat on your head.] Usually, "on" means "on top of." In these cases we usually just say "on," but it would not be incorrect to say "on top of." (It would sound more emphatic, and, incases where no emphasis was necessary, it might sound a little strange.)

However, sometimes "on" does not necessarily mean "on the uppermost surface of," but "on any surface of." [The leopard has spots on its belly. There is moss on (all parts of) the rock. There are photographs on the refrigerator (on the front, held in place by magnets) In cases where "on" might not mean "on the topmost part," we say "on top of" to make that clear. Examples:
Put your shopping list on the refrigerator so you don't forget it.
Put this box on top of the refrigerator.
Pour chocolate sauce on the ice cream. (It doesn't just sit on the very top, it goes all over)
Put the cherry on top of the ice cream.
Put this book on the bookcase (on any shelf)
Put this book on top of the bookcase (way up on top, where the children won't see it!)

Other English speakers might have different explanations -- some of these are pretty subtle choices.

I hope I've helped.

Please register so we know which "guest" you are. (Personally, when I write back to someone I'm always curious to know where they are from and what their native language is, although of course you do not have to say if you prefer not to.) Anyway, welcome to English Forums.

Anonymous · Answer

thanx for the reply !
I actually didn't ask for prepositions in general, i wanted to clarify the specific case about the forum.
but i'm sure this was helpful especially to Rowaa.

MrPernickety · Answer

Rowaa SuleimanHi ...

I Think Both Of Them Are Right...

And I Have A Problem Too With In / On.. When Can I Can Use It...?etc

No, you cannot say "logged in the forum"

You should say "logged in to the forum"

Or as an alternative you san say "logged on to the forum"

Cwtch · Answer

I posted it on the forum

I logged into the forum.

the thread is on/in the forum ? In

any other example?

Prepositions are very tricky. They don't translate word for word from language to language.

For instance, in German they will say, "I went after my house." Whereas, in English, we will say, "I went to my house."

As far as my learning other languages, prepositions require a lot of rote memorization.

MrPernickety · Answer

cwtch
As far as my learning other languages, prepositions require a lot of rote memorization.

You can say that again, man.

There's no making sense of prepositions, one ought to learn them and draw them from memory if they want to say something. It's virtually impossible to work out any strict rules following which one can infallibly pick the right preposition.

There are rules, but there're tons of exceptions to them which renders those rules unusable in the long run. Although they might help in an exam, in real life they are more of an obstacle than help.

Anonymous · Answer

when one is in something surrounded by named word like I am in company.

Nusdunda · Answer

I prefer to use "posted in the forum", because "in" a something that is a container containing something and the threads are in the forum, not just touching on the surface of the forum that you can browse without logging in.

Cwtch · Answer

nusdundaI prefer to use "posted in the forum", because "in" a something that is a container containing something and the threads are in the forum, not just touching on the surface of the forum that you can browse without logging in.

Nice

Cwtch · Answer

MrPernicketyThere are rules, but there're tons of exceptions to them which renders those rules unusable in the long run.

In English, we have a rule for every exception!

MrPernicketyThere's no making sense of prepositions

In German, they have a word for this: Fingerspitzengefuehle. This translates to 'feeling it with the tip of your finger.' It means that you can't explain it; you have to feel it.

On/IN

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