To and too are some of the most commonly confused words in English; in fact, grammar purists are driven mad by people using these two words incorrectly, but still, they remain two of the most commonly confusing words of our time and not just on social media.
Stop too and to from being misused with our quick guide.
The question of the difference between to, too, and two is an age-old one. These three short words might sound the same because they're pronunciation homophones, but they really aren't at all!
adverb
To has a few different uses. It is a prepositional phrase to indicate movement, goals, directions, relationships between things, and locations.
English speakers use to when indicating the direction of movement or arrival place. Say you want to mention that you're going out to hang with your friends; you could say...
To is also used to relate ideas, possessions, and attachments. Similarly, it can also be used to indicate timeframes.
To has many uses, and for a 2-letter word, it really is multi-purpose!
She is going to the office today.
Danny wants to go to the park after school.
Does this baggage belong to you?
I am attracted to you.
From 1995 to 2002 a lot of things changed globally. (You can also use a hyphen instead of to in this example.)
It's gonna take me an extra fifteen minutes to finish this task.
adverb
Too is an adverbial phrase that English speakers use to replace "as well" or "excessively." It's a hugely useful 3-letter word used to emphasize a point or indicate the excessiveness of something. For example, if you find learning languages tough; you could say...
Too is a fantastic word if you want to hyperbolize or exaggerate your language to make it sound more dramatic.
It's also important to remember two is a number; it is 1 + 1, and it can't be used to replace too or to as it doesn't have any grammatical function in a sentence.
Sally, you are way too funny; I can't stop laughing!
Do you think you drive too fast?
He, too, decided to write about Childhood Education.
This work is way too hard.
You are too quick for me!
I want to come too.
Quick tips to further your knowledge
Remember that most of the time to is a prepositional phrase indicating movement, goals, or directions.
Too, however, is an adverbial phrase in replace of “excessively, as well, or in addition.” English speakers use it to emphasize a point.
Don't worry about making these common mistakes. You're unlikely to have any problems in everyday speech with these three words, but with practice, you will also learn how to use them in your writing correctly.
When to use to?
When to use too?
How to remember to vs. too?
Spell checkers don't always have you covered. Sometimes your word might be spelled correctly, but it could be the wrong word. In English, there are lots of confusing terms that look alike but are spelled differently, and many terms that mean the same thing but are easily misused.
Here are the most commonly confusing word pairings, with definitions and examples of their usage.