Learn English – Should I say “It’s better for me to talk BY / ON / IN English”

prepositions

What's better for you as a native English speakers?
If for example you see someone who knows 2 languages, but you understand English only. Then you want to talk the language that's considered understandable for you. Here are the options:

"It's better for me to talk by / on / in English"

or to say simply

"It's better for me to talk English" (without any prepositions)

Best Answer

In this context - the correct sentence is: "It's better to talk in English".

You can talk on English - but that means you are talking about the English language

You can also talk by English - but that would indicate you are talking next to a person called English.

The reason why you can't say "talk by English" to mean talk using English is because English is not a physical tool you use to do the physical action of talking, unlike a pickaxe for mining (mine by pickaxe) or an telephone for talking over long distances (talk by telephone).

However, you can "Communicate by English" - because communication is not a physical action, and English is a tool for Communication.