hi i am a little confused i have the blackberry pearl and i can't work out how to get onto the internet does anybody know?

Use the browser.

Do you have an icon called Internet Browser?

Do you have a Blackberry Data Plan... can you send/receive e-mail?

Check your service books (options, advanced, applications, service books: do you see a line for browser, etc.?

The icon will just show as browser
That is where you will be able to use your carriers browser such as t-zone or blackberry browser.
But you will need to have a data plan to even see the browser icon

Hope that helps