1. Onto indicates movement from one position to another one.

Pattern 1: verb + onto + noun
The child hopped onto the bed.

Typical verbs used before onto:
drip, fall, hop, jump, move, run, spill, step

Pattern 2: verb + noun + onto + noun
We moved all the books onto the desk.

Typical verbs used with this pattern:
drip, drop, move, spill, transfer

2. Onto indicates knowledge of misbehavior.

Pattern: be + onto + noun.
The police are onto that gang about the missing money.

Fact
The largest crossword puzzle ever contained 82,951 squares. It had 12,489 clues across, and 13,125 down. It was created by Robert Turcot, from Quebec.      .. More >>