put it in / into your portfolio

Clara   Sat Jan 27, 2007 3:51 pm GMT
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.
Guest   Sun Jan 28, 2007 8:50 am GMT
As far as I'm concerned, there is no difference between those pairs of sentences employing "in" and "into".
Uriel   Mon Jan 29, 2007 3:18 am GMT
You would never say "Write it INTO your exercise book." You would use IN.
Guest   Mon Jan 29, 2007 9:25 am GMT
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.
j   Mon Jan 29, 2007 6:26 pm GMT
What's about "onto'? What's the difference from "in" and "into"? When "onto" should be used?
j   Mon Jan 29, 2007 7:38 pm GMT
<What's the difference from "in" and "into"?>
Sorry, I meant: between "on" and "onto"? Is onto a combination of "into" and "on"?
Uriel   Wed Jan 31, 2007 10:15 am GMT
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."
Clara   Wed Jan 31, 2007 11:15 pm GMT
So "text into portfolio" is better than "text in your portfolio"?
Uriel   Fri Feb 02, 2007 11:44 am GMT
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?
CLara   Mon Feb 19, 2007 11:16 pm GMT
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.
Uriel   Thu Feb 22, 2007 12:16 pm GMT
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.
Clara   Thu Feb 22, 2007 3:21 pm GMT
Thanks!