“To” vs. “Too” are two of the most mistakenly used words in writing content, emails, and essays. These words do not only differ in spelling but most importantly, they vary in meaning. The “To” vs. “Too” difference must be differentiated by writers, as it causes confusion due to altered meaning. What are the key differences between “To” and “Too”?
Listed below are the key differences between To and Too.
- “To” is a type of preposition which is used after a noun or pronoun as it highlights the connection to the following words or elements, such as verbs.
- “To” describes movements or an action that moves towards a particular subject like a location, person, or object.
- The synonyms of the word “To” are but is not limited to the following; with, into, toward, until, and for.
- “Too” is used to explain or elaborate on a verb, adjective, adverb, or phrase; it is an adverb.
- “Too” is a word that indicates an increased level or something that is more than what is necessary.
- The synonyms of the word “Too” are but are not limited to the following: in addition, furthermore, also, as well, and additionally.
“To” and “Too” are mixed by people in the sentences mistakenly because they thought that these two have the same meaning and purpose. The “To” and “Too” only differ by one letter and have the same pronunciation which explains why people do not eventually realize how different they are in terms of meaning and usage. Additionally, the “To” and “Too” are mixed because of some typographical errors or spelling mistakes. Typing on a keyboard often leads to mistakes in spelling compared to writing on paper with a pencil or ballpoint pen which writers do not notice, especially in cases of lengthy content, emails, and essays. That being said, possible problems in communication arise which include incomprehensible sentences and incomplete information. For instance, in “The girl is going too school”, the sentence is incorrect as readers interpret that the school has a higher level which does not make any sense.
What does “to” mean in English?
“To” is a word used to express the connection of a noun or pronoun to the succeeding words or elements in a sentence. “To” is a type of preposition that tells the direction or movement towards a certain subject such as location, object, or a person itself. There are many origins of the word “To” but the closest ones are West Germanic, Old Saxon, Old Frisian, Dutch, and Old High German. The word “To” was used even before the beginning of the 12th century. Some examples of the word “to” are “The band went to the USA for a concert.” “The bus is going to pick up the kids for school.”
How to use “To” word in sentences properly?
“To” is one of the most common words utilized in every English sentence. “To” usually pertains to the connection between a noun or pronoun and the following words such as verbs in a particular sentence. The word “To” indicates movement and direction, expresses time, and is used before a purpose is stated. However, despite being a two-letter word, the usage of “To” is still being put into the wrong sentences.
Listed below are the steps on how to use “To” in sentences properly.
- Utilize “To” as an Infinitive of Objective: “To” is sometimes used to provide a shorter version of the phrase “in order to.” Using “To” as an infinitive of objective allows for a more concise and clearer sentence.
- Organize Verbs and the Word “To”: “To” is a preposition, and prepositions are placed before an action word called a verb is already written. In using the word “To” the preposition must be able to articulate the verb correctly in order for the sentence to be comprehensible. Although there are sentences that talk about direction or purpose, there is an intended preposition for that, and “To” is purely not applicable for every single sentence present in a paragraph.
- Put a Noun or Pronoun After the Word “To”: The purpose of the word “To” is to show how the noun or pronoun is related to the other words in the sentence. For example, “The dog is heading to the cat.”, the sentence shows how the word “cat” is related to the “dog” in terms of direction which is linked by the preposition “to”.
The “To” and “Too” vary when used in the sentences properly. As discussed, “To” is a preposition used to connect the noun or pronoun to the following words and placed before a verb. For instance, “The king asked his servant to prepare his clothes.” The “To” is placed after the “servant” which is a noun to connect it to the “prepare” which is a verb. Meanwhile, the word “Too” is an adverb that explains or elaborates on a verb, adjective, adverb, or phrase and is not applicable to be used in the examples. “The king asked his servant too prepare his clothes” is grammatically incorrect and does not have meaning.
What does “too” mean in English?
The meaning of the word “Too” is that the topic described in the sentence is on a high level, excessive, has a huge number, or overdone. Another meaning of the word “Too” is that an additional topic or variable in the sentence is having the same situation, and it is used interchangeably with “also”. “Too” is an adverb that further explains or discusses a verb, adjective, adverb, or phrase. The origin of “Too” is “also” and “in addition” from Middle English, and “furthermore”, “besides”, and “also” from Old English. The first recorded usage of “Too” was in the year 1590. Some examples of the word “too” are “The glass has been filled with too much water.” “The Mixologist’s duty is to mix cocktails, which are done by the Bartenders too.”
How to use “Too” in English Sentences properly?
The adjective “Too” is usually used by writers when their topics are about quantity and similarities. Too is a type of adjective that describes how high is the subject being described, and substitutes the word “also” when it is overused and redundant already in a particular sentence or paragraph. The word must be used properly to avoid causing confusion to the readers.
Listed below are the steps on how to use “Too” in a sentence properly.
- Place “Too” Before an Adjective or Adverb: Too is used to describe how high or elevated the subject of the sentence is, how fast and slow an action occurs, and how much the quantity of the topic is described. Therefore, putting the word “Too” before a verb, adjective, or phrase further explains the meaning that a writer wants to convey. However, it is important to remember that a “Too” before an adjective or adverb suggests a negative meaning because it suggests more of what is necessary.
- Use “Too” Before “Much” and “Many” Followed by a Noun: “Too” describes how high the level or the quantity of a noun is stated. “Too Much” is used for uncountable nouns and “Too Many” for countable nouns.
- Avoid Utilizing “Too” in a Positive Sentence: “Too” indicates that a particular topic being discussed is more than what is being asked for. Using “Too” to highlight a positive adjective or adverb alters the meaning of the subject and thus causes confusion.
“Too” is an adverb used to emphasize, or further elaborate and explain a verb, adjective, adverb, or phrase. “Too” is placed in the sentence before an adjective, adverb, or phrase is written. In the sentence, “He speaks too loudly.”, the “Too” comes before “loudly” first which is an adverb, and the “Too” further explains that the person is speaking loudly more than what is needed. Meanwhile, “To” cannot be used to explain the adverb “loudly” because its main purpose is to connect the noun or pronoun to the verb. “He speaks to loudly” is grammatically incorrect.
Should you use a comma before or after “too”?
Yes, a comma must be used before and after “Too”. The usage of a comma before and after “Too” is to provide emphasis and to note that there is a sudden change in the thought in a sentence. Writers must not neglect to use a comma before and after “Too” as it affects the meaning of the sentence. Some examples of the term “too” using comma are “We like to have some drinks, too.” “I, too, love to see the beauty of the ocean.”
How to Differentiate “to” and “too” during speaking?
The difference between “To” and “Too” when speaking is only distinguished by understanding the sentence itself. When someone is speaking, it is very important to be cautious of their sentences as it is the only way to identify whether they are saying “To” or “Too”. The context of the sentence must be understood by the listeners in order for them to properly differentiate if the used word is “To” or “Too”. To understand the context of the sentence, just remember that “To” is a preposition that is used before a noun or pronoun to connect them to succeeding words in the sentence. Meanwhile, the “Too” is an adverb that further elaborates a verb, adjective, adverb, or phrase in a sentence. The words “To” and “Too” are not distinguishable when speaking, as they have exactly the same pronunciation, especially in American English. In fact, the reason people are using these two words mistakenly is because of their similar pronunciation and almost identical spelling.
Do people confuse “to”, “too”, and “two” while speaking?
No, people are not confused with these three words while speaking. The “To”, “Too”, and “Two” are three different words, with distinct spelling and meaning but have the same pronunciation. However, as long as people know the differences among these words, they will not be confused as they must use it properly in a sentence when they are speaking. Confusion is most likely to occur to the listeners, especially when they do not pay attention to the speaker. The tendency to misinterpret the context of the sentence is highly possible because these words are pronounced the same way.
How to Remember difference between “to” and “too”?
The words “To” and “Too” have several differences, especially in terms of their usage. Although these words vary not just in one aspect, people still tend to forget about their distinctions and thus leading to misusage and confusion.
Listed below are the ways to remember the difference between “To” and “Too”.
- Take Note of the Word Type: “To” is a preposition used to indicate the relationship of a noun or pronoun to other words in the sentence. On the other hand, “Too” is an adverb used to explain a verb, adjective, adverb, or phrase in a sentence. Taking note of what type of words they are, helps the writer to remember their difference.
- Pay Attention to the Purpose: The purpose of “To” and “Too” in a sentence is different; hence, paying attention to their purpose enables easy retention of their distinction. Despite the minimal difference in spelling, the two words are not related to each other in terms of purpose. One purpose of “To” is to describe a movement or direction towards a particular object, place, or person. Meanwhile, an example of the purpose of “Too” is to emphasize that something is on a higher level, excessive, or overly done.
- Identify the Following Words: “To” is used before a noun or pronoun, and a verb. It is used to connect the subject to the action words of the sentence. “Too” on the other hand, is used before an adjective to emphasize the thought or to show excessiveness.
When do you use “Too” vs “To”? Too must be used when the meaning that is intended to deliver is about being excessive and overly done or having the same experience or situation which substitutes the word “also”. “To”, on the other hand, must be used when trying to link the noun or pronoun to the succeeding words such as verbs to give the sentence a proper context.
What is the difference between “too” and “very”?
“Too” is used to explain that something is excessive or more than what is necessary, while “Very” is used to emphasize the word after it. “Too” is commonly seen in negative sentences and indicates that there is a problem. On the other hand, “Very” usually exists in positive sentences or when the purpose is to compliment. Despite both describing a higher level of status, the two words are different in terms of objectives and must not be used interchangeably in writing contents, emails, and essays as they alter the meaning of the sentences when used incorrectly. Some examples of “Too” are “The baggage is too heavy for me to carry.” “I can’t take a bath, the water is too cold.” Meanwhile, some examples of “very” are “The writer of the article is very good.” “The speaker talked to us very clearly.”
When to use “to” or “too”?
“To” must be used in situations that describe a movement or direction, and express time, while “Too” must be utilized during circumstances that describe an excessive manner or to use an alternative for “also” and “in addition”. “Too” must not be used as an alternative to “also” and “in order” when speaking to non-native English speakers, as it causes confusion and misinterpretation due to pronunciation. Instead, be specific and just use the words “also” or “in addition” to properly convey the context of the sentence. Both “To” and “Too” must be used in the same sentence. Some examples are “I woke up too late yesterday to attend classes.” “The room is too small to accommodate them.”
What is the difference between “to late” and “too late”?
The difference between “to late” and “too late” is that the first one is grammatically incorrect and must never be utilized in any form of writing, while the latter is grammatically correct. “To late” does not make any sense as “To” is used before a noun or pronoun, and “Late” is an adjective; therefore, the structure is incorrect. On the other hand, “Too late” means that something is not effective anymore, as it was not able to arrive at the time it was needed. Some examples of the phrase “To late” are “The truck is to late which caused a delay in relief goods.” “I tried to enroll in the university, but it’s to late already.” Meanwhile, some examples for “Too late” are “After I realized it was already too late.” “It is still not too late to fix the conflict between them.”
What is the difference between “me to” and “me too”?
The difference between “me to” and “me too” is that the former is only used when the succeeding word is a verb; otherwise, it is grammatically incorrect. Meanwhile, “me too” is present when the sentence talks about the similarity in experience or status and manner of inclusion. The two words must not be used interchangeably because it causes incorrectness both in grammar and meaning. Here are some examples of the phrase “Me to,” “The manager asked me to send these papers to you.” “The teacher assigned me to lead the group?” On the other hand, are the example phrase of “Me too,” “The typhoon negatively affected me too.” “Are they going to invite me too?”
What is the difference between “don’t have to” and “don’t have too”?
The “don’t have to” is used before a verb is placed in a sentence. It is used to connect the noun or pronoun to the following words. Meanwhile, “don’t have too” is used before an adjective or a word that states a high amount or quantity. Here are example phrase of “Don’t have to,” “You don’t have to worry because the rescue team will arrive in 5 minutes.” “You don’t have to teach them because they already know what to do.” Meanwhile, the example phrase of “Don’t have too” are “We don’t have too much time to finish this task.” “We don’t have too many options to choose from.”
What are the example sentences for “too” and “to” differences?
The “Too” and “To” are common words in English; hence, they are seen in almost every single English sentence written in content, emails, or essays. Both words are even be seen in just one sentence.
Listed below are the example sentences of “Too” and “To” differences.
“Too” example sentences.
- The dress was too long: The sentence implies that the dress is longer than what is needed because the adjective “long” was emphasized by “Too”. Without “Too” in the sentence, the dress will still be interpreted as “long” but enough for what is necessary.
- He asks too much: The sentence means that the person is asking for excessive information than what the person is allowed to ask. The information that the person asks for is uncountable because of the word “much.”
- The sausage is country fresh too: The sentence tells that the sausage has the same freshness as the other country’s fresh products. The “Too” which substituted the word “also” in the last part of the sentence makes the subject included in the category of “country fresh” products.
- You can’t have your cake and eat it too: The “Too” in the sentence explains that the person cannot have the cake and eat it as well. The “Too” further emphasizes the restriction of having and eating a cake.
- There are too many people present in the event: The “too” discusses that the people in the event are more than what the venue accommodates. The absence of “Too” in the sentence would mean that there are “many” people, but still enough to be accommodated by the venue. The “many” in the sentence means the subject is countable which is expressed in the population.
“To” example sentences.
- You should talk to your mother regarding that matter: The “To” in the sentence connects the adjective “talk” to the noun “mother”. Thus, explaining their relationship in the sentence and making the sentence comprehensible.
- We thought we should walk to the bakery for breakfast because it is such a beautiful day: The sentence describes a movement toward the bakery through walking. The verb “walk” was linked to the noun “bakery” by the preposition “To” and delivered the message very well.
- We went to New York last Friday for a world tour: The “To” serves again as the word that links the verb “went” to the noun “New York.” Additionally, the sentence expresses a movement or direction, since they went from one place to another.
- We’re going to wait another five hours before this day ends: “To” in the sentence expresses the time they have to wait before another day comes. The “To” helped in specifying the hours as other prepositions like “in”, “on”, and “at” are not suitable to describe to do it.
- I will go to the top of the mountain to see the beauty of this place: The meaning of the sentence has been properly stated through the use of “To”. The doer of the action or pronoun “I” is linked to the verb “go” which helps the sentence to be understood easily.
Should you use “to” or “too” for “Love you” phrase?
Yes, “Too” must be used in a “Love you” phrase. “Too” is used to indicate that a person has the same experience or status as the other one. In saying a “Love you” phrase, people tend to reciprocate it by saying “I love you too” or “I love you, too” to express that they have the same emotional feeling. Meanwhile, “To” in “Love you” phrase is grammatically incorrect when used to reciprocate love. However, if the “Love you” phrase has succeeding words, then “To” must be used. For instance, “I love you to the moon and back.”
Should you use “to” or “too” for “Fast” phrase?
Yes, “Too” must be used for “Fast” phrase but “To” is an exception. The word “Too” suggests that a person or an object is moving faster than what is necessary. “Too fast” is a negative phrase that describes how fast movement is not effective because it exceeds the needed amount of speed. On the other hand, “To” with a “Fast” phrase is grammatically incorrect as “To” is only used before a noun or pronoun, and a verb. “To fast” does not make any sense.
Why should Content Writers know the difference between “to” and “too”?
Content writers must know the difference between “to” and “too” for providing trust, expertise, better communication, and quality content. Content writers must be able to secure that the structure of their content has no errors, as it causes problems in the accuracy of the information that they want to deliver. Readers trust content that is well-written as it gives a better flow of thought and the information is easy to be absorbed. The users reading the content do not want content writers that show a lack of expertise in the field of content writing. The knowledge about the topic is not enough, content writers must construct a sentence in the correct grammar as well. Furthermore, content writing demands the knowledge of the writer in terms of grammar, as it paves the way for better communication and quality content. Who would want to read an article where “Too” and “To” are used interchangeably and the meaning of the sentences is incomprehensible. Content writers must know the difference between “To” and “Too” in order for their content to gain higher engagements.
Does Grammar Errors affect Search Engine Optimization Performance?
Yes, grammar errors affect search engine optimization performance. How does it affect search engine optimization performance? Well, to begin with, grammar errors negatively affect search engine optimization performance because users will tag the content as not useful, unreliable, and unprofessional, and the users will avoid it. Apart from that, grammar errors affect the accuracy of the information. Incorrect usage of words would convey different meanings and users do not want to visit content that does not contain the information they are looking for. The content must be grammatically correct with specific and precise information to increase its engagement with users.
Is using “too”, or “to” wrong a harmful factor for E-A-T?
No, using “Too” is not a harmful factor for E-A-T. In fact, E-A-T appreciates and prioritizes content that is contextual and was written in a concise manner. Through the use of “Too”, writers will be able to express their sentences in a much more meaningful and shorter version. The same thing with using “To”, it does not cause any harmful factor for E-A-T. Most sentences in the English language cannot be expressed properly without the existence of “To.” Thus, having both words in the content does not contribute to a harmful factor for E-A-T.
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Three commonly confused words in the English language are to, too, and two. These three words are homophones, meaning that they’re pronounced the same way, but they’re all spelled differently, and they have very different meanings.
So when should you use each word?
The short answer is that to is a preposition that indicates direction, too means also or indicates excess, and two is a number.
Read on to learn the distinct meanings of to, too, and two and to see examples of how to use these words in sentences.
Quick Definition and Meaning of “To”
To is a preposition with several meanings. Some of these meanings refer to proximity, distance, movement, location, and purpose.
Most often, to is used to indicate a direction toward something. If you say, “I drove to the office,” that means you drove in the direction of the office.
To can also be used with a verb to create its infinitive form. For example, you might say “I love to dance.”
To also expresses a range. For example, you might say, “I’ll be ready in five to ten minutes.”
Here are some other examples of when to use to:
- I don’t want to leave the party.
- I like visiting my friends in America from time to time.
- You have to pass the exam in order to graduate.
Quick Definition and Meaning of “Too”
The word too is an adverb with two meanings.
The first meaning is also or in addition to. For example, you might say “If you’re going to the concert tonight, I want to come too.”
Too can also be used to indicate an excessive degree. It can mean something similar to very or an excessive amount. If you say, “The dish was too spicy for me,” that means you think the dish was excessively spicy.
Here are some other sample sentences of when to use too:
- I have class tomorrow, too.
- The young puppy had too much energy.
- It was too late to take back his mistake.
Quick Definition and Meaning of “Two”
Out of the three words to, too, and two, two is probably easiest to understand. Two only has one meaning: it’s the integer between one and three.
For example, you might say, “I have to leave in about two hours.”
Here are some other examples of when to use two:
- I have two sisters.
- I only know two words in Spanish.
- Spiders have eight eyes, while most animals only have two.
What’s the Difference Between To vs Too vs Two?
To, too, and two all serve different roles in a sentence. As a general rule, you can remember their parts of speech to remember their separate meanings:
- To is a preposition
- Too is an adverb
- Two is a noun or an adjective
Whenever you’re expressing a number, you should use two instead of to or too. One tip is to remember that two starts with TW like the word twins also starts with TW, and twins refers to two children born at the same birth.
A good way to remember the difference between to and too is too has too many Os. Therefore, it’s used to indicate excess or addition.
Examples of To, Too, and Two Used in Sentences
The best way to learn how to spell words correctly is to look at examples of how they’re used in the real world. Here are some examples of how to use to vs too vs two in a correct sentence.
Let’s start with some examples of to:
“Henry was invited to book launches and literary festivals around the world.”—Yann Martel, Beatrice and Virgil
“He pounded on the earth, trying to keep the hands from pulling him under.”—Roy Johansen, Beyond Belief
“I wanted to write, and just tell you that me and my spirit were fighting this morning.”—Peter Straub, In the Night Room
Now let’s look at some examples of too:
“By the time he decided to act, he’d been too late.”—Nora Roberts, The Heart of Devin MacKade
“The kitchen, too, disappeared under a pile of rubble.”—C.T. Adams and Cathy Clamp, Touch of Darkness
“The body holding the guitar in its hands has a name, too.”—Maurice G. Dantec, Grand Junction
Finally, here are some examples of two:
“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.”—Robert Frost, “The Road Not Taken”
“As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands: one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.”—Sam Levenson, In One Era & Out the Other
“For the two of us, home isn’t a place. It is a person. And we are finally home.”—Stephanie Perkins, Anna and the French Kiss
Conclusion on To vs Too vs Two
Now you know the full difference between to vs too vs two.
If you’re not sure which spelling to use, you can always run your writing through ProWritingAid, which will highlight incorrect words and guide you toward the correct option. It’s great for picking up tricky homophones like these.
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Homophones are words that sound the same, but are spelled differently and have distinct meanings. These types of terms can cause confusion for people learning the language and native speakers alike. Today I’ll dive into to and too—a classic example of a homophonic dilemma in the English language.
«To» is a multi-purpose preposition used to express a direction, a limit, a purpose or a result. It can also serve as the marker of the infinitive.
«Too» is an adverb meaning “in addition”, “extremely” or “excessively”.
Through seeing how they are used in common examples and idioms, you’ll be able to better understand each of these terms’ definitions. I’ll also add a few tricks along the way to help you recognize which word should be used in any kind of situation.
“To”: Definition and examples
The word “to” pops up so often in our language, it’s almost invisible. It is mostly used as a preposition, meaning that it relates a noun phrase to some other clause in the sentence. It’s a very frequent word with several meanings, some less common than others. The preposition to can be used to indicate:
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Physical movement: Sally is going to the mall.
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Direction: As you walk down this street, you will find the store to your right.
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Contact or proximity: Jason applied ointment to his skin.
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Purpose or intention: We are drinking to his victory.
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Attachment, connection, response and belonging: Last night, we danced to the rhythm of the songs.
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Extent or degree: He was beaten to death.
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Similarity or proportion: Don’t compare me to my brother.
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The application of an adjective or noun: Jason was pleasant to Sally.
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When the verb that follows is an infinitive: Jason likes to run.
To is also commonly used in idioms, and memorizing idioms is a great way to remember when to use each word based on the context of a sentence:
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It takes two to tango. (One person alone isn’t responsible for a problem.)
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You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink. (You can’t force someone to make the right decision.)
“Too”: Definition and examples
Too is useful too, but it’s much more niche than its homophone. This word is an adverb with a few meanings:
1. In addition: Jason is coming to dinner and Sally is joining too.
2. To an excessive extent or degree. Usually with a negative connotation, “more than it should be”:
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Sally was too sick to travel.
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The couch we bought is too large for the living room.
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Sally crashed into Jason while driving because she was too close behind him.
3. Extremely, very: I can’t eat the soup yet because it’s too hot.
Too adds life and emphasis to any sentence, but can easily be omitted in many cases. For instance, we can say “it’s too hot outside” or we could also simply say “it’s hot outside”. The sentence loses a bit of life, but carries pretty much the same idea.
Here are a few idioms containing the word too:
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You can’t have your cake and eat it too. (You can’t have everything)
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Not a moment too soon. (Almost too soon.)
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Too much of a good thing. (One too many.)
How to remember the difference between “to” and “too”?
When speaking, you won’t really need to remember which is which, since they both sound the same. Easy-peasy. Things get more problematic when writing, and mixing to and too is all too tempting even for native English speakers or seasoned writers.
Below is a list of helpful tips that I hope will help you remember whether your word needs an extra little extra “o”:
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To is a lot more versatile than too. Therefore, just by understanding the meaning of too well, you can easily figure out which word to use based on the process of elimination. (If it’s not too, then it must be to.)
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The word too has an excessive amount of “o’s” and excessive also happens to be one of the meanings of the word.
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Memorize this: Too can be replaced by in addition, extremely or as well. Every time you’re wondering which word to use, try replacing the word with one of these synonyms. If it works, then you should use too, and if it doesn’t, to is your answer.
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Pick an idiom with each of the words and take the time to fully understand the meaning. Next time you’re writing something, you can easily recall your idiom and compare it to the context of the word you’re trying to use.
In a nutshell
To and too are homophones, meaning these words sound the same but are spelled differently and have separate meanings. When writing, it can be challenging to know when to use each word in the right context. To summarize everything mentioned in the article above, here are the key elements to ensure you keep your to’s and too’s straight:
Take a little practice quiz: “To” vs. “Too”
Here’s a quiz to practice everything you’ve learned. Did you obtain a perfect score after reading all the tips in this article? I’d love to hear about it in the comments section below!
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Sally couldn’t eat her oatmeal because it was ______ hot. (to/too)
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Sally drove Jason _____ the park. (to/too)
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Jason woke up in a bad mood so he didn’t feel like talking _____ Sally in the morning. (to/too)
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Right before Christmas, the mall gets way _____ crowded. (to/too)
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I’d like _____ invite you ____the party. Your wife can come _____. (to/too, to/too, to/too)
Quiz answers: 1) too 2) to 3) to 4) too 5) to, to, too
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The words ‘to’ and ‘too’ are homonyms, that have similar pronunciation but differ in their meanings, spelling and origin. While the word to is used in sentences to denote direction. On the other hand, the word too is used to indicate something of high degree, also or very. Now let’s take a look at the examples to understand how they differ:
- I am too late, to attend the function.
- Joe went to the coaching class too, to find her sister.
- She is too confident, that she will be able to clear Civil Services Examination this time.
In the first sentence, too is used to express ‘very’, while to indicates direction. In the next sentence, to has been used to refer ‘place’, while too is used as ‘also’. Lastly, too is used to refer to ‘highly’, whereas to is used to indicate ‘goal’.
Content: To Vs Too
- Comparison Chart
- Definition
- Key Differences
- Examples
- How to remember the difference
Comparison Chart
Basis for Comparison | To | Too |
---|---|---|
Meaning | ‘To’ is used in sentences to indicate motion in a specific direction. | ‘Too’ refers to a greater extent, than what is required. |
Pronunciation | tuː | tuː |
Part of speech | Preposition | Adverb |
Followed by | Verb or noun | Adjective or adverb |
Example | I have to wake up early in the morning. | This is too old fashioned. |
Last Saturday, we have been to Mumbai. | She is not only beautiful, but intelligent too. | |
Could you please mail the documents to me? | Before returning from Jaipur, they visited Nahargarh fort and Jaigarh fort too. |
Definition of To
The function word ‘to’ is a preposition which means ‘in the direction of’. It is commonly applied in sentences to express a purpose, show direction towards a particular point or location, i.e. destination. It can be used in sentences in the following ways:
- To indicate direction.
- We went to Agra, last month.
- I have some work to do.
- To highlight the recipient of something or the one who experiences something.
- Siddharth told that to Priya and she giggled.
- Don’t be so embarrassed, it can happen to anyone.
- To denote a specific time or level reached:
- Train accident toll has risen to 10.
- To represent with regard to:
- They were really nice to me.
- Prior to a verb, to represent that it is an infinitive:
- She likes to play badminton.
- To show a relationship with the people or possessions:
- Her brother is married to his best friend.
- That green book on the table belongs to me.
- To show agreement or want:
- Arun wants to go home.
- I’d love to come there.
- With reported orders and requests:
- Ananya told me to return the book to Daniel.
- Used after question words:
- Can you tell me what to do next?
- To introduce a clause:
- To meet her mom, she went all the way to London.
- To express a cause:
- We are sorry to inform you that, your project is not selected.
Definition of Too
‘Too’ is an adverb which means overly or excessively. It is used when one wants to express something of high degree or intensity than needed or wanted. Let’s understand the use of too, with the help of points given below:
- To express more than what is required, wanted or enough:
- The dress is too short.
- He is too boring.
- Your hairs are too oily.
- To denote also, as well or in addition to:
- I don’t like people who talk unnecessarily and that too very loudly.
- Don’t forget to bring the clothes and perfume too.
- As a replacement to very:
- The numerical is too difficult.
- She is too innocent.
The difference between to and too can be drawn clearly on the following grounds:
- ‘To’ implies ‘directed towards’, which can be used in sentences for indicating motion in a specific direction. Conversely, ‘Too’ means high in degree or quantity, than required or desired.
- While ‘to’ is a preposition which is used to show the relation between the subject with the element in the clause. As against, ‘too’ is an adverb, that is applied in sentences to modify the meaning of verb or adjective and express a degree of something.
- The word ‘to’ is often followed by a noun and a verb. As against, too is used before an adjective or an adverb.
Examples
To
- I don’t want to join the class.
- He gifted the pen to Monica.
- Sonia works from 8 AM to 9 PM.
Too
- Kriti is too busy.
- She had too many cookies in the evening.
- You can join us too.
How to remember the difference
The best way to remember the difference between to and too is that while to has only one ‘o’ too has more than one ‘o’, i.e. many ‘o’s’. So, you can use too wherever you want to indicate more than enough, in excess, also, very etc., otherwise, you can use to.
Understanding to vs too will make you a skilled writer, and help you avoid embarrassing grammar mistakes.
When it comes to commonly confused words, to vs too is probably at the top of the list. These homophones trip up writers frequently when they just can’t remember whether the word needs two o’s or one.
While too and to will likely always be something you have to think about, there are some ways you can keep the different meanings of these words straight. Keep this guide handy, so you can get it right whenever you need to write one of these words.
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Contents
- To vs Too – How to Make the Right Choice
- To is a Preposition
- To is an Infinitive
- Telling The Difference Between Too And To
- To vs Too vs Two
- Example Sentences of To and Too
- A Final Word On To Vs Too
- FAQs On To Vs Too
- Author
To vs Too – How to Make the Right Choice
When you’re writing along and need to choose between too and to, you can choose the correct word every time with a little English grammar lesson. Here is a closer look at the function of these two words in the English language.
To is a Preposition
The word to with just one o is a preposition. It actually has many different meanings, such as:
- The direction of movement (he went to the West)
- A place of arrival (going to church)
- The relationship between words in a sentence (attached to your boyfriend)
- A range or time period (nine to five)
Because it is a preposition, to always has an object.
To is an Infinitive
To has another use as the start of an infinitive verb. An infinitive is the base form of a verb with the word to at the front, such as in the famous phrase “to be or not to be.” Here are some examples of to used as an infinitive:
- To err is human.
- We are the kind of family who makes it a priority to go to church.
- The child wanted to believe in Santa, even though he thought his parents were the real bringers of the gifts.
Sometimes writers and speakers will leave off the verb, leaving the word to hanging, as in these examples:
- I don’t want to. (This could be written “I don’t want to go/play/visit, making it an infinitive.)
- He doesn’t play tuba now, but he used to. (Here you could say, “He used to play,” making it an infinitive.)
Too is an Adverb
Too functions as an adverb. It has a few meanings, including:
- Besides
- In addition
- Also
- As well
- Very
- Excessively
It often comes at the end of a sentence or right before an adjective or other adverb. When it comes at the end of the sentence, it has a comma before it.
Telling The Difference Between Too And To
Too and to are homophones, so when you speak you don’t need to know the difference. However, before you post on social media or write a blog post, you are going to need to differentiate between the two.
To has more uses than too. If you are using the word as an adverb meaning “also,” “very” or “excessively,” you will use the word too. Otherwise, you likely need the word to.
If the word is not offset by commas, and it has another word connected to it and directly after it, then chances are high you need to use to. This could be an infinitive verb or a prepositional phrase, but to remains the correct word to use.
To make this comparison even more confusing, consider the fact that this word pair has a third homonym, the word two. Two is the number that represents a pair of things. This is one of the few groups of three homophones in the English language, like they’re, there and their.
Even though the meaning of two is distinct since it is a number, many people still get the spelling wrong simply because the words sound the same. Sometimes even skilled writers who know the difference slip up because they do not sufficiently proofread their work. Keeping to, too and two separate is critical to accurate writing.
Example Sentences of To and Too
To better understand the differences between these two words, consider these example sentences:
- While everyone loves chocolate, it is possible to have too much of a good thing. (This sentence uses to as an infinitive and too in the sense of meaning an excessive amount.)
- Let’s grab some pizza and then go to the football game. (This sentence uses to as a preposition.)
- Does your best friend want to go, too? (Here we have an infinitive and an adverb that means “as well.”)
- He finally got engaged to his long-term girlfriend. (This is a classic prepositional use of the word to.)
- Too much information can be dangerous. (This is an adverb that describes the adjective how.)
A Final Word On To Vs Too
Now that you have a better understanding of when to use to vs too, you may think that you will never misuse these words again. Yet it’s far too common for skilled English writers to make a mistake simply because they make a typo or forget to thoroughly proof their work.
To make sure that you always get these right, consider running your work through a grammar checker, like Grammarly, that will catch this and other common errors. This will ensure that homonyms don’t trip you up.
FAQs On To Vs Too
When to use to vs too?
In English writing, use the word to when you are writing an infinitive or a prepositional phrase. Use the word too when you are writing an adverb.
How do you use too in a sentence?
The word too is an adverb that means excessively, also, in addition, and very. It is often at the end of the sentence to add emphasis, but it can also precede another adverb to modify it.
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