"to switch on sth" or "to switch sth on"?

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ars  #52117  Tue, 26 Oct 04 11:39 AM
Hello

I have a problem with the word order. Which of the following two sentences is correct?

Please switch on the light.
or
Please switch the light on.

Can possibly both be correct and one maybe more common or "better" english?

thank you for your help.
ars
  
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aboabed3  #52126  Tue, 26 Oct 04 12:45 PM
Hi
The first one is better
but we can use switch sth on with pronouns
for example:

Switch it on

I hope it was helpful
  
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CalifJim  #52255  Wed, 27 Oct 04 02:49 AM
Neither one is better. Both are correct.
Where I live, people more commonly say "Please switch the light on."
But if there are many words between "switch" and "on", we will put "switch on" together.

That is, we would say, "Please switch on the light over the kitchen table."
We would not say, "Please switch the light over the kitchen table on."

Smile [:)]
  
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