Tuesday, February 2, 2010

the terrifying too or to

I've noticed lately that when I'm writing I seem to have trouble when using To or Too, it seems that sometimes I use it incorrectly.

So I decided to fix this issue first hand. There are so many variations of words in the english language, and that makes nothing easy. However I will try and give the easiest explanation, so that from here on out I won't use it incorrectly. Maybe I will help a few friends along the way.

“To” is a preposition. It can be used when going towards something. “To the store” or “To bed.” Or, when your doing something in the direction of something or someone. “Speaking to your friend“, or “looking to the right“.

“To” is also used when you’re using a verb in the infinitive. “To go home“, or “to open the door.“

Now here comes an exception, which in the english language seems to be inevitable. To can be used at the end of a sentence if a verb is dropped. For example, you could have a conversation like this…… “do you need to stop?”, “no, not right now”, “OK, let me know if you need to”….

The verb stop was dropped at the end, so the sentence ends in to.

On the other hand, too means the same as also, so if you can substitute also at the end of a sentence then use too.

Too, can also mean excessively or more than enough, as in; “too hot” or “too big“.

So from now on I can always look at this post in teaching myself when too or to is most appropriate, and if I helped a few others along the way then I am glad! This was more of a tip I needed and since I took the time to figure it out, I figured why not post it!

Happy Blogging!

15 comments:

Bish Denham said...

Good tips!

Sara Louise said...

I just remember that too is for something bigger or more so it has an extra o in it because it has to be bigger than to. I don't know if that makes sense but it does in my head :-)

Aubrie said...

I catch myself using the wrong to now and then. I also exchange then for than a lot!

Very helpful post!

Kelly Polark said...

Good tips! I hope two remember all of your tips, to! ;)

Carolyn V. said...

It's funny the words we have problems with. I'm okay with too/to, but terrible with loose/lose. I get them mixed up all the time.

Catherine Denton said...

Remembering "too" = "also" helps me. Thanks for sharing.
Winged Writer

Dawn Simon said...

English is tricky. Can you imagine how difficult it would be trying to learn it as a second language?

Thanks for the visit and the follow. I like your blog. :)

Elana Johnson said...

So many writers struggle with this. Heck, the whole general population struggles with this. Thanks!

Ann Elle Altman said...

I don't have problems with those words but I always get stuck on 'then' and 'than'... I have to sit back and think if I used the right word.

ann

Jody Hedlund said...

Thank goodness for editors/crit. partners who can help us catch our slip ups! Even though I know the rules, sometimes I make mistakes!

Shannon O'Donnell said...

LOL! You are sooo not alone. :-)

Kimberly Franklin said...

OMG...I have this problem all the time! Great post. It's always a good thing to learn something, though I will probably forget it by tomorrow. ; )

Thanks!

Robyn Campbell said...

You are definitely not alone. Thanks for the tips. I'll tell you that I make so many mistakes that I have to fix in the next drafts. Sometimes I wonder if I'll catch them all. I wish I could write a perfect first draft, but that ain't gonna happen. Thanks Jen! =)

Kasie West said...

Oh English, why do you make your language so hard on us? Why are you so fickle and confusing? :) Thanks for the clarification.

erica m. chapman said...

Yea, that's a difficult one. We had to learn those in high school, we had to take different tests in order to graduate and that was one of them - I haven't forgotten it! Great post :o)