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  1. Put salt on fruits.

a) Is this sentence correct? Do we use 'put' with salt/ spices?

  1. Add salt to fruits.

a) Same question. Is this one correct/ more natural?

b) I need clarification about the preposition as well. Do we always say 'add to?' Or is it also correct to say 'put to' in sentences like these?

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    I am not so sure about using "put" in this case. More colloquial use is "add a pinch of sugar/salt/turmeric/pepper/etc. to anything". But I can say one thing, "put salt to" is absolutely wrong.
    – Dhanishtha Ghosh
    Commented Jun 2, 2021 at 18:43

2 Answers 2

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When you are served at the table you may

Put salt on your eggs.

When you are cooking you may

Add salt to your stew.

(Salt on fruit is less common than on eggs or in stew.)

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  • I see. So you 'add salt to something' so the salt is in the food and you 'put salt to something' so it's on the food, meaning you put it after cooking it. If that's the case, would it be wrong to say 'add salt' when you're at the table and feel like your food needs more salt?
    – Ashraf
    Commented Jun 16, 2021 at 9:19
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    At the table you probably would not usually say either. Neither would be wrong. I might add salt to my soup (and stir it in) put put salt on (not to) my eggs. The difference is between "in" and "on".
    – Ethan Bolker
    Commented Jun 16, 2021 at 11:23
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Regarding the preposition, it is never "put (thing) to (destination)". (OK, almost never: you can put something to the side, but that is a special expression.)

"Put salt on your eggs", "Put salt onto your eggs", "Put salt in your stew", and "Put salt into your stew" are all grammatically correct.

"Add" is a typical verb used in recipes. By default, "add" goes with "to": "Add salt to your stew". "Into" would also be correct, though perhaps more specific than necessary.

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  • Thank you so much for the answer. Is there any difference between 'put on' and 'put in'? I mean when you're talking about a boiled egg would it sound wrong to say "put some salt IN the egg." And what about when making scrambled eggs, can you use both?- "put some salt ON/IN it."
    – Ashraf
    Commented Aug 30, 2021 at 17:46
  • IN for inside or mixed in, ON for the outside. With scrambled eggs either is fine (though ON suggests it is added on top rather than mixed in).
    – nschneid
    Commented Aug 30, 2021 at 23:08

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