http://www.englishforums.com/search/pro.htm?q=tag%3aBritish+English+tag%3aPhrasal+verbs+tag%3aAdverbsSearch results for 'tag:British English tag:Phrasal verbs tag:Adverbs' matching tags 'British English', 'Phrasal verbs', and 'Adverbs'en-USCSMOD (Build: 3273.32735)http://www.englishforums.com/English/Stepped/cbcgv/post.htm#172639Wed, 21 Dec 2005 04:27:38 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:172639califjimhanuman If you want to learn British English you should follow the advice in British dictionaries I m sorry if my American English confused you My American dictionary which shows onto as a single word has this note To indicate motion to a position the prepositions on and onto are frequently used interchangeably though onto more strongly conveys movement toward jumped on the table jumped onto the table In constructions where on is an adverb and to is a preposition they must not be joined as one word hold on to not onto our gains In such cases on may be considered part of the verb It also mentions that onto is sometimes written on to I suspect they were referencing British usage here step on is not a phrasal verb like hold on so in American English we prefer step onto CJ