IN or ON? Learn to use these 8 professional English verbs correctly

In this lesson, you're going to get three lessons; because, today, we're

going to cover grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation. All right? So, today,

basically what we're going to look at first is: Which verbs go with which

prepositions? This is always fun. I know — I know how much you love that. So,

that's why in this lesson, you're going to get to decide whether to use the

preposition "in" or the preposition "on" with certain business verbs or general

verbs. All right? Now, today, we're looking at about eight of them. Okay?

But this is actually part of what we do in an online course, which I've created,

which is called: "Correct Your English Errors in Ten Minutes a Day". We correct

different types of mistakes that people make to do with grammar, vocabulary,

pronunciation, expressions, and so on. Okay? So, if you're interested in that,

please check the link in the lesson description. But, for now, let's get

started.

So, number one. I'm going to read the sentence; and in each of these

sentences, you have to decide whether the correct preposition is "in" or "on".

Okay? Those are the only two options all the way through, and we have to choose

one of them. All right? There is always a preposition that we need. So, number

one: "Let's focus _______ the current project." So, what's the correct answer,

there? "Let's focus _______ the current project." What do you think? The correct

one is "on". "Let's focus on the current project." What does it mean: "to focus"?

It means to pay attention to, pay special attention to something, to focus

on that, to give your attention to something. All right? Now, that's the

grammar part of it — that we should say: "focus on" something. The vocabulary

part — "to focus" means to pay attention to something in particular. And the —

very important in this case — pronunciation part is that this word is

pronounced: "focus". Say it after me: "focus". This word is very often

mispronounced, and then it can sound rather rude, so be really careful how

you pronounce this word. Okay? Good.

Let's look at number two now: "Our team participated _______ the meeting. Our

team participated _______ the meeting." What should it be? "To participate in"

something. Okay? This is the correct answer: "to participate in" something.

All right? That's the correct grammar part of it. Now, what does it mean: "to

participate" in a meeting, or in a conference, or in a presentation? What

does it mean: "to participate"? To take part in it; to be there and to be

actively involved in it, or to be involved in it. Okay? Good. Number

three: "He specializes _______ wedding cakes." So, what's that? Which is the

right preposition, here? "He specializes in wedding cakes." Okay? "You specialize

in" something. So, what does it mean: "to specialize"? "To specialize" means

to become kind of an expert in a particular area; not on everything in

general, but particular area — to focus on that, to know a lot about that. And

therefore: "you specialize in" that and you become kind of much more aware; if

not, an expert, of that area. Okay? So, this person "specializes in" wedding

cakes. All right? Now, pronunciation: "specialize". The pronunciation, here:

"participated". The verb by itself: "participate". Past tense:

"participated". Good. All right?

Number four: "It depends _______ the weather." So, what do we need there —

"in" or "on"? "It depends on the weather." All right? You "depend on"

something. What does it mean: "It depends on"? That means, well, let's...

let's look at an example. Let's say we're going to... we're organizing a

picnic, but is it going to happen or is it going to be cancelled? I don't know.

"It depends on the weather. It depends what happens." It... we... we base our

decision on whether the weather is going to be good or not. Okay? But, in

general: "to depend on" something means to be able to count on something, to be

able to trust something. So, if we trust that the weather is good, then we will

have the picnic; if not, we may cancel the picnic. All right? Let's pronounce

the verb correctly: "It depends on". Good. All right? Very nice. Number five:

"Please concentrate _______ your students. Please concentrate _______

your students." So, somebody told the teacher who was doing... maybe wasn't

doing the right thing: "Please concentrate _______ your students." So,

what should it be? You "concentrate on" something. You could also say: "Please

concentrate on your studies." Okay? You could tell the students: "Please

concentrate on your studies." All right? So, you "concentrate". What does it

mean: "to concentrate"? This word is like this one. Okay? "Focus" — to pay

special attention to. "Please focus on your studies", "Please concentrate on

your studies", or "on your students", or whatever. Okay? So, here, "concentrate

on". Say it after me: "concentrate on". It is helpful to say the preposition

after that, because then your brain is hearing the right information; the right

combination that you need when you're using these verbs. All right.

Number six: "We believe _______ honesty." So, which is it? "in" or "on"?

"We believe" — yes — "in". Okay? You "believe in" something. "We believe in

honesty." So, what does it mean: "to believe in" something? You have trust in

that, you have faith in that, or you follow that principle. Okay? So... and

you trust that it is true, that it is right — that is "to believe". So, say it

after me: "to believe in". You can "believe in" someone; you could say to

your... your child: "I believe in you." You could say to an employee: "I believe

in you. In your ability to do a good job, to get this contract, to do this

work". All right? So, you could believe in someone or in something. Next, number

seven: "She insisted _______ taking a taxi." So, what's the answer, there?

"She insisted on". Okay? "She insisted on taking a taxi". "To insist on"

something means to say again and again: "No. This is what I want to do. I don't

want to do anything else. This is what we need to do." Okay? You insist; you

keep saying again and again that this is what somebody needs to do, or whatever

it may be. Okay? It could be: "She insisted on ordering a pizza." Okay? She

said again and again: "No. I want a pizza. I don't want anything else." All

right? So, we use it in many different contexts; all of these words — you can

use them in business situations and you can use them in your regular life. Okay?

No problem. Good. Let's pronounce this one: "insisted". Let's say the whole

thing: "to insist on" something. Okay? Excellent.

Number eight: "We rely _______ support from the IT department." We reply...

Sorry. "We rely _______ support from the IT department." So, which is it? "We

rely on". Okay? "To rely on" is like one of our other words, here. Do you know

which one? It's this one. Okay? So: "rely" and "depend" basically mean the

same thing. "I rely on you; I'm counting on you; I'm depending on you". Okay?

That means you... you're depending on them for support — let's say, in this

case — from a particular department, from someone, from a department, from

something. Okay? So: "to rely on", "to depend on" — they mean exactly the same

thing. Say it for pronunciation: "to rely on". All right? Good. So, now

you've got the grammatical part of it, got a little bit of the meaning, you've

also got some pronunciation, but let's make sure that you've really got the

grammar part of it, because that can sometimes be the most challenging. Is it

the "in" or "on"? Maybe you got some of these right. If you've got all of them

right —⁠ that's fantastic. But make sure that you use them correctly, because

these are very commonly-used words. And if you're not using them now, you can

start using them and that will certainly upgrade your level of English. Okay? So,

when we come back in a second, we're going to review the prepositions with

these verbs.

All right? So, now, let's make sure that you have mastered the correct

prepositions. Let's review them again. It takes time to make sure that you're

using the right prepositions. Okay? So, don't worry if you get it wrong; even

the second time — just review it. You will get it; there's no question about

it. Okay? It's just a matter of practice. So, let's do that. Number one:

"Let's focus _______ the current project." What was that? "Let's focus on

the current project." Okay? Now, if you wish, I'm going to... I'm just going to

step aside. You can pause the video; you can fill them all in, if you have a

piece of paper; and then you can join me or you can continue as we go along. All

right? Let's jump around a little bit to make it more interesting. Let's do this

one: "Please concentrate _______ your students" or "Please concentrate _______

your studies". "Please concentrate on your studies." Okay? It just so happens

that the "concentrate on", "focus on" — they are similar in meaning, and they

also use the same preposition. All right? Let's take another one. Number

three: "He specializes _______ wedding cakes". "He specializes in wedding

cakes." All right? Very good.

Let's take another one. Number seven: "She insisted _______ taking a taxi".

"She insisted on taking a taxi." Great. How's it going so far? You're getting

them? Okay. Step by step. Let's try number two: "Our team participated

_______ the meeting". "Our team participated in the meeting." All right?

Very good. Let's drop down here. Number six: "We believe _______ honesty". "in"

or "on"? "We believe in honesty." Excellent. Number four: "It depends

_______ the weather". "It depends on the weather." All right? So, what's left?

This one down here. Number eight: "We rely _______ support from the IT

department". "We rely on" — right? So, we had said: "depend on", "rely on".

Also: "count on" means the same thing. All right? Very good. So, as you saw,

when we did it a second time, it doesn't mean you automatically get it. You do

have to work at it a little bit, but hopefully you've already mastered some

of them.

So, what can you do now? Basically, write your own sentences. Okay? What

have you participated in? What do you need to concentrate on? What do you

believe in? Make it relevant; write some sentences about your life, your work,

your family — and then these words, and the verb and the preposition, will come

together nicely in sentences that make sense for you. All right? So, do that;

that will help a great deal. And remember, these are only eight. But if

you'd like to improve your English in lots of different ways, please do check

out the link to my course. We're getting a lot of excellent feedback from our

students, and I'd love for you to be able to be part of that. All right?

Thanks very much for watching. And you can, of course, subscribe to my YouTube

channel. You can also go to engVid. So, remember all of these things; and all

the very best with your English. Bye for now.