Study materials
These sentences are almost grammatical, but English does not say them this way.
Who is that on the photo? → Who is that in the photo?
I found it in the internet. → I found it on the internet.
A calque is an expression translated from Ukrainian word for word. This article explains the most common calques with prepositions, with make and take, and good at and I agree.
Naturalness without calques
A calque is an expression translated from Ukrainian word for word. Grammatically it may be almost correct, but it is not what people say.
| Natural | Calque |
|---|---|
| in the photo, in the picture | on the photo |
| on the internet, online | in the internet |
| take a photo | make a photo |
| at the weekend, on the weekend | in the weekend |
| explain the problem to me | explain me the problem |
Prepositions of place and time are calqued especially often. In the photo, because a photo is framed, and on the internet, like on TV or on the radio.
Calques are not only about prepositions of place. People say good at maths, not good in maths. They say I agree with you, not I am agree, because agree is already a verb and be does not go before it.
Common mistakes
The first mistake is on with photo.
Who is that on the photo? → Who is that in the photo?
With a photo you say in.
The second mistake is in with internet.
I found it in the internet. → I found it on the internet.
On the internet, like on TV.
The third mistake is make with photo.
Can you make a photo of us? → Can you take a photo of us?
A photo is taken.
All three mistakes show in the word before photo or internet. These are calques from Ukrainian. The whole combination is learned: in the photo, on the internet, take a photo.