To / Too

Know Your Words

Certain sets of words in the English language tend to confuse writers. I have found the following to be among them:

TO / TOO

I was recently surprised to see the word to used to mean too (as in also). While I realize that this could easily have been a typo (or even a “brain glitch”), when it occurred several times in the same article, I assumed the writer mistakenly intended it to be spelled as it was.

The word too is always an adverb and only has a few meanings: alsoto an excessive degree; very; and so, the last being a major component of many a child’s defense (“I did, too!“)

The word to, on the other hand, is usually a preposition although it, too (did you catch that? I know you did), can also be used as an adverb. The preposition has many meanings that are quite common, serving as a function word to indicate movement (as in toward: he headed to the store); contact (he pressed his heels to the floor); or relation in time (ten minutes to three o’clock), among others. It can also serve as a function word (as used here) to indicate that the verb following it is an infinitive.

As an adverb, to can indicate direction toward (frantically running to and fro); into contact (the window slammed to); or into awareness (she slapped the child lightly to bring him to), among others.

Whew! That little word to can carry a lot of weight in the English language! However, standing in for also is not part of that weight.

INCORRECT: I want to go, to.

CORRECT: I want to go, too.

© 2018 Ann Henry, all rights reserved.

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