put it in / into your portfolio
Hi!
Is there a difference between "Put the text into your portfolio" and "Put the text in your portfolio"? And what about "Write it into your exercise book" and "Write it in your exercise book"?
I know the difference between the prepositions "in" and "into", but I never know which one I should use in such sentences.
As far as I'm concerned, there is no difference between those pairs of sentences employing "in" and "into".
You would never say "Write it INTO your exercise book." You would use IN.
I just did and it sounded weird!
I think the way to explain it is, "into" is valid only for the physical placement of objects within others; textbook or "text" into the "portfolio" in this case, so this shouldn't normally be applied to writing unless maybe "write into" implies etching.
What's about "onto'? What's the difference from "in" and "into"? When "onto" should be used?
<What's the difference from "in" and "into"?>
Sorry, I meant: between "on" and "onto"? Is onto a combination of "into" and "on"?
No, it's combination of "on" and "to". It usually implies that you physically set something on top of something else -- "I stepped off the boat onto land."
So "text into portfolio" is better than "text in your portfolio"?
I confess to being a little perplexed by what you are trying to say. To me, a portfolio is either a large flat case for carrying artwork, an intangible collection of stocks or experience, or a large book of sample artwork or photographs. Usually none of them have any "text" to them.
How are you using it?
I'm sorry, I should have mentioned that I'm using the word "portfolio" in the context of teaching: a portfolio is "a systematic and organized collection of a student's work that exhibits to others the direct evidence of a student's efforts, achievements, and progress over a period of time". Usually it consists of different texts, exercises, ... that are put in (into?) a folder.
Oh. If it's the same as a folder you can use either "in" or "into". The former might be a little more common, but there's no rule against using the latter and it wouldn't sound strange.