Question

Updated on 15 Feb 2023

nomadatlatl

8 February

Japanese

English (US)

Question about English (US)

Atsuko is making money out of online ads. She read an ad recruiting people to attach ads to their email. She signed *on. The company puts ads into her email automatically. If the email receiver clicks on an ad and put in an order. Atsuko gets a percentage of the project price.

Is it possible to say signed up instead of signed on in this context?

Answers

mcmillanje

8 February

English (US)

you should say "Signed Up" in this case.

sign up = to subscribe to a service
sign on/in = to log in to a service

mcmillanje

8 February

English (US)

instead of " If the email receiver clicks on an ad and put in an order. Atsuko gets a percentage of the project price"

options:
- if the email recipient clicks on an ad and orders something Atsuko gets a percentage of the purchase price

- if the person who receives the email clicks on an ad an orders something Atsuko gets a percentage of the sale

nomadatlatl

8 February

Japanese

@mcmillanje Oh, thanks a lot again.
So "sign up" wouldn't fit in this context, right?🤔

mcmillanje

8 February

English (US)

since the rest of the sentences are past tense you would use "signed up" instead of "sign up"

nomadatlatl

8 February

Japanese

@mcmillanje Ahh, I got it. Sorry for bugging you. I mean signed up (past tense) as a replacement for signed on. I'll fix my question right away.
Thank you!

mcmillanje

8 February

English (US)

yes, "she signed up." would be the best here.

you can use "signed on" in this way but it's usually used for long term commitments like an employment contract. a synonym would be 'enlist'

'she signed up for the newsletter'

'she signed on to be a nurse'

'she signed up for the advertisement program '

'she signed on to the navy'

'she signed up to participate in the marathon'

nomadatlatl

8 February

Japanese

@mcmillanje Thank you so much for the follow-up explanation, which is really instructive.
かさねがさねありがとうございます。(⁠ᵔ⁠ᴥ⁠ᵔ⁠)

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Atsuko is making money out of online ads. She read an ad recruiting people to attach ads to their email. She signed *on. The company puts ads into her email automatically. If the email receiver clicks on an ad and put in an order. Atsuko gets a percentage of the project price.

Is it possible to say signed up instead of signed on in this context?

you should say "Signed Up" in this case. sign up = to subscribe to a servicesign on/in = to log in to a service

since the rest of the sentences are past tense you would use "signed up" instead of "sign up"

you should say "Signed Up" in this case.

sign up = to subscribe to a service
sign on/in = to log in to a service