While my writing skills have improved over the years and I can admit that spelling and grammar are one of my finer talents, I still make the odd mistake here and there. Life is hectic to say the least and often I find myself quickly jotting down notes, or frantically typing out messages so that I can clear my correspondence for the day. This is when I slip up and the most common mistake I make is when using the words “to” and “too”.
While these words sound the same and are spelled similarly, they mean two completely different things. “Too” is an adverb, while “to” is a preposition or adverb. If you place the incorrect option of these words into your sentences, you are potentially going to cause a lot of confusion. Let’s look at the TWO words more thoroughly:
TO
To is a preposition and has a few meanings. It is mostly used to refer to a goal or a direction of movement, as well as a place of arrival. For example:
- We are going to the zoo.
- My mom wants to eat at a fancy restaurant tonight.
“To” is also used as a word that connects a relationship between to two things. Like, “you get attached to your pets”, or “that ball belongs to you”.
The word “to” has many more uses, but I am sure you have now gotten the gist of its intention and where it should be placed in your sentences.
TOO
Too is also a useful little word, but it’s not a preposition like to, and it doesn’t have as many meanings. You can use it instead of “besides,” “in addition,” “also,” or “as well.” But you can use it for other things, too, like when you want to indicate excessiveness. If you find grammar tough, you can say that it’s too hard. In casual speech, speakers sometimes use too in the sense of “very”: That gal is too funny! - https://www.grammarly.com/blog/to-too/
I am sure by now that you can see how the misuse of each of these words could confuse your readers and cause potential havoc. Once you wrap your head around the concept of each term, you’ll find it easier to use them correctly in a sentence, even when writing or typing fast.
By avoiding simple mistakes like using the incorrect words in your sentence structures, you will already come across as more of a professional writer who knows a thing or to about grammar, spelling, punctuation and sentence structure.
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