“tap on the button” vs “tap the button”

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I am trying to figure out which term to use when writing a "help text" or giving messages to the user on an app.



Should I say:



  • tap the button OR

  • tap on the button


  • tap the item OR


  • tap on the item


  • tap the word OR


  • tap on the word



word-usage prepositions




share|improve this question




























    up vote
    2
    down vote

    favorite












    I am trying to figure out which term to use when writing a "help text" or giving messages to the user on an app.



    Should I say:



    • tap the button OR

    • tap on the button


    • tap the item OR


    • tap on the item


    • tap the word OR


    • tap on the word



    word-usage prepositions




    share|improve this question
























      up vote
      2
      down vote

      favorite









      up vote
      2
      down vote

      favorite











      I am trying to figure out which term to use when writing a "help text" or giving messages to the user on an app.



      Should I say:



      • tap the button OR

      • tap on the button


      • tap the item OR


      • tap on the item


      • tap the word OR


      • tap on the word



      word-usage prepositions




      share|improve this question














      I am trying to figure out which term to use when writing a "help text" or giving messages to the user on an app.



      Should I say:



      • tap the button OR

      • tap on the button


      • tap the item OR


      • tap on the item


      • tap the word OR


      • tap on the word




      word-usage prepositions





      share|improve this question













      share|improve this question




      share|improve this question








      edited Aug 29 at 15:41









      Eddie Kal

      3,88421439




      3,88421439










      asked Aug 29 at 15:36









      live-love

      1135




      1135




















          2 Answers
          2






          active

          oldest

          votes

















          up vote
          4
          down vote



          accepted










          Either is acceptable. The first, however, is simpler; in this case, the 'on' is understood, and therefore redundant. Someone would normally tap on an icon, word, link, etc., unless there was a reason they would expect to be tapping above, or below, or beside it. In this case, since a tap of an element is normally understood to be a tap on the element, the extra word is redundant.






          share|improve this answer
















          • 2




            Bear in mind that to tap can also signify either to draw liquid from or to exploit a resource . So to tap someone's head and to tap someone's brains are not the same thing. Nor are tapping a barrel and tapping on a barrel. google.com/…
            – Ronald Sole
            Aug 29 at 16:01











          • True. Context here, though, is computing/app development. In that context, tap/tap on would be understood identically.
            – JCAT606
            Aug 29 at 17:56










          • Agreed that it is probably obvious, but it's still worth pointing out. Someone could be working on a beer-themed lifestyle app where "tap the barrel" might be ambiguous to some of the target audience.
            – GrandOpener
            Aug 29 at 20:20

















          up vote
          0
          down vote













          All of the above options are fine - omitting 'on' is more concise though.






          share|improve this answer




















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            2 Answers
            2






            active

            oldest

            votes








            2 Answers
            2






            active

            oldest

            votes









            active

            oldest

            votes






            active

            oldest

            votes








            up vote
            4
            down vote



            accepted










            Either is acceptable. The first, however, is simpler; in this case, the 'on' is understood, and therefore redundant. Someone would normally tap on an icon, word, link, etc., unless there was a reason they would expect to be tapping above, or below, or beside it. In this case, since a tap of an element is normally understood to be a tap on the element, the extra word is redundant.






            share|improve this answer
















            • 2




              Bear in mind that to tap can also signify either to draw liquid from or to exploit a resource . So to tap someone's head and to tap someone's brains are not the same thing. Nor are tapping a barrel and tapping on a barrel. google.com/…
              – Ronald Sole
              Aug 29 at 16:01











            • True. Context here, though, is computing/app development. In that context, tap/tap on would be understood identically.
              – JCAT606
              Aug 29 at 17:56










            • Agreed that it is probably obvious, but it's still worth pointing out. Someone could be working on a beer-themed lifestyle app where "tap the barrel" might be ambiguous to some of the target audience.
              – GrandOpener
              Aug 29 at 20:20














            up vote
            4
            down vote



            accepted










            Either is acceptable. The first, however, is simpler; in this case, the 'on' is understood, and therefore redundant. Someone would normally tap on an icon, word, link, etc., unless there was a reason they would expect to be tapping above, or below, or beside it. In this case, since a tap of an element is normally understood to be a tap on the element, the extra word is redundant.






            share|improve this answer
















            • 2




              Bear in mind that to tap can also signify either to draw liquid from or to exploit a resource . So to tap someone's head and to tap someone's brains are not the same thing. Nor are tapping a barrel and tapping on a barrel. google.com/…
              – Ronald Sole
              Aug 29 at 16:01











            • True. Context here, though, is computing/app development. In that context, tap/tap on would be understood identically.
              – JCAT606
              Aug 29 at 17:56










            • Agreed that it is probably obvious, but it's still worth pointing out. Someone could be working on a beer-themed lifestyle app where "tap the barrel" might be ambiguous to some of the target audience.
              – GrandOpener
              Aug 29 at 20:20












            up vote
            4
            down vote



            accepted







            up vote
            4
            down vote



            accepted






            Either is acceptable. The first, however, is simpler; in this case, the 'on' is understood, and therefore redundant. Someone would normally tap on an icon, word, link, etc., unless there was a reason they would expect to be tapping above, or below, or beside it. In this case, since a tap of an element is normally understood to be a tap on the element, the extra word is redundant.






            share|improve this answer












            Either is acceptable. The first, however, is simpler; in this case, the 'on' is understood, and therefore redundant. Someone would normally tap on an icon, word, link, etc., unless there was a reason they would expect to be tapping above, or below, or beside it. In this case, since a tap of an element is normally understood to be a tap on the element, the extra word is redundant.







            share|improve this answer












            share|improve this answer



            share|improve this answer










            answered Aug 29 at 15:51









            JCAT606

            912




            912







            • 2




              Bear in mind that to tap can also signify either to draw liquid from or to exploit a resource . So to tap someone's head and to tap someone's brains are not the same thing. Nor are tapping a barrel and tapping on a barrel. google.com/…
              – Ronald Sole
              Aug 29 at 16:01











            • True. Context here, though, is computing/app development. In that context, tap/tap on would be understood identically.
              – JCAT606
              Aug 29 at 17:56










            • Agreed that it is probably obvious, but it's still worth pointing out. Someone could be working on a beer-themed lifestyle app where "tap the barrel" might be ambiguous to some of the target audience.
              – GrandOpener
              Aug 29 at 20:20












            • 2




              Bear in mind that to tap can also signify either to draw liquid from or to exploit a resource . So to tap someone's head and to tap someone's brains are not the same thing. Nor are tapping a barrel and tapping on a barrel. google.com/…
              – Ronald Sole
              Aug 29 at 16:01











            • True. Context here, though, is computing/app development. In that context, tap/tap on would be understood identically.
              – JCAT606
              Aug 29 at 17:56










            • Agreed that it is probably obvious, but it's still worth pointing out. Someone could be working on a beer-themed lifestyle app where "tap the barrel" might be ambiguous to some of the target audience.
              – GrandOpener
              Aug 29 at 20:20







            2




            2




            Bear in mind that to tap can also signify either to draw liquid from or to exploit a resource . So to tap someone's head and to tap someone's brains are not the same thing. Nor are tapping a barrel and tapping on a barrel. google.com/…
            – Ronald Sole
            Aug 29 at 16:01





            Bear in mind that to tap can also signify either to draw liquid from or to exploit a resource . So to tap someone's head and to tap someone's brains are not the same thing. Nor are tapping a barrel and tapping on a barrel. google.com/…
            – Ronald Sole
            Aug 29 at 16:01













            True. Context here, though, is computing/app development. In that context, tap/tap on would be understood identically.
            – JCAT606
            Aug 29 at 17:56




            True. Context here, though, is computing/app development. In that context, tap/tap on would be understood identically.
            – JCAT606
            Aug 29 at 17:56












            Agreed that it is probably obvious, but it's still worth pointing out. Someone could be working on a beer-themed lifestyle app where "tap the barrel" might be ambiguous to some of the target audience.
            – GrandOpener
            Aug 29 at 20:20




            Agreed that it is probably obvious, but it's still worth pointing out. Someone could be working on a beer-themed lifestyle app where "tap the barrel" might be ambiguous to some of the target audience.
            – GrandOpener
            Aug 29 at 20:20












            up vote
            0
            down vote













            All of the above options are fine - omitting 'on' is more concise though.






            share|improve this answer
























              up vote
              0
              down vote













              All of the above options are fine - omitting 'on' is more concise though.






              share|improve this answer






















                up vote
                0
                down vote










                up vote
                0
                down vote









                All of the above options are fine - omitting 'on' is more concise though.






                share|improve this answer












                All of the above options are fine - omitting 'on' is more concise though.







                share|improve this answer












                share|improve this answer



                share|improve this answer










                answered Aug 29 at 15:47









                Jeremy Feng

                424




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