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Prepositions after verbs

Flick through, flick on, or flick to?

These combinations have different meanings. Flick through means browse quickly, flick on means switch something on, and flick to means move quickly to a channel, page, or option.

Quick answer

How to use flick with prepositions

Use flick through for quickly looking at pages or channels. Use flick on for switching on a light or device. Use flick to for moving quickly to a particular page, channel, or option.

She flicked through the magazine.
He flicked on the kitchen light.
They flicked to the sports channel.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
flick through + pages/channels

Browsing quickly

Flick through means looking quickly at pages, photos, or television channels.

I flicked through the report.
We flicked through several channels.
2
flick on + device/light

Switching something on

Flick on is used for lights, switches, and electronic devices.

She flicked on the lamp.
He flicked on the radio.
3
flick to + page/channel

Moving quickly to a specific point

Flick to focuses on reaching a particular page, channel, or setting.

Please flick to page 42.
Dad flicked to the news channel.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
flick through
She flicked through the catalogue.
Quickly browsed without reading everything carefully.
flick on
He flicked on the bathroom light.
Turned something on with a quick movement.
flick to
The presenter flicked to the next slide.
Moved quickly to a particular item or position.

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using flick through for switching on

Through means browsing, not activating a device.

✕ She flicked through the light. ✓ She flicked on the light.

Using flick on with pages

On is used for activation, not page movement.

✕ He flicked on page ten. ✓ He flicked to page ten.

Confusing flick through and flick to

Through means browsing many items; to means reaching one specific item.

✕ I flicked through channel 5. ✓ I flicked to channel 5.

Using flick with very formal writing

Flick is informal in some contexts. Turn on or browse may suit formal writing better.

✓ The technician turned on the monitor.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. She flicked ___ the magazine while waiting.
2. Can you flick ___ the hallway light?
3. He flicked ___ the weather forecast channel.

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Frequently asked questions

Is flick through informal?

Yes. It is common in everyday English for quick browsing.

Can flick on be used for computers?

Yes. You can say flick on the computer, although turn on is more neutral.

What is the difference between flick through and flip through?

Both are natural. Flip through is slightly more common in American English for pages.

face, with, face, by facilitate by, in, with, for or through? "fade into", "fade to" or "fade from"? fail in, at, to, on or for? "fall into" or "fall in"? falter in, after, for, on or under? fantasize about, on, of or over? fare in, against, to, as or on? "fascinate by" or "fascinate with"? "fasten to", "fasten on" or "fasten with"? favor by, in, for, from or of? favour by, in, for, over or of?

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