“To” vs. “Too” vs. “Two”
- To has a few functions, but it’s mainly used as a preposition that means “in a direction towards.” Too can mean “in addition to,” “as well,” “extremely,” “excessively,” or “very.” Two refers to the cardinal number (2) which is the sum of one plus one.
- ○ Joshua and I are going to the mall.
- ○ She wanted a gift, too.
- ○ The young girl cried because she wanted two pieces of candy, but I only had one.
What's the Difference Between “To,” “Too,” and “Two”?
All too often, people get confused with homophones. After all, they’re words with different spellings and meanings, but identical pronunciations. The words to, too, and two are no different. We’re going to teach you two things today: what these words mean and ways to remember how to use the word choice correctly, too.
When to Use “To”
The word to has a few different uses. It’s usually used as a preposition—a word “that connects a noun or pronoun to other information in a sentence.” Think of it as meaning “in a direction towards.”
We’re going to Disney World.
The pack of wolves traveled from Oregon to California.
However, to can also be part of an infinitive verb.
Her goal was to read the entire Harry Potter series in one month.
In the sentence above, to is part of the verb (to) read. A few more examples where to becomes part of an infinitive verb are “to” feel, “to” dance, and “to” be.
To use to correctly (as a preposition), remember that it has a similar meaning to the word “towards.”
When to Use “Too”
Too can also be used in more than one way. When used as an adverb, it means “in addition,” “also,” or “as well.”
Not only did they have a Ferris wheel at the county fair, but they had a petting zoo, too.
Not only did they have a Ferris wheel at the county fair, but they had a petting zoo as well.
Too can mean “excessively,” “very,” or “extremely.” In this context, it’s functioning as an intensifier.
I warned her that the movie was too scary for the kids.
I warned her that the movie was extremely scary for the kids.
Here’s another example of when to use too:
It’s too late to apologize.
It’s very late to apologize.
Here’s another helpful hint: if you mean to use “too” as in “in addition” or “as well,” remember that it has an additional “o.”
Is It “Too Late” or “To Late”?
If you're trying to state that the time to do something has passed, then the correct phrase to use is too late, not to late.
- It was too late to make a change.
When to Use “Two”
Two is mainly a noun that refers to the “number that is the sum of one plus one (2),” or “the second in a set or series.”
They bought two of each.
Section two of the student-athlete contract explicitly states that players must adhere to curfew.
Two can also be used as a determiner—a word that modifies or introduces information about a noun—that means “totaling two.”
We were about to embark on a two-hour journey.
Getting to, too, and two mixed up can happen to anyone, even to those who know the difference between these three words. Typos can slip into even the most prolific writer’s texts. So, if you’re writing one, two, three, or more texts a day, make sure to check that it’s error-free with LanguageTool. This intelligent writing assistant can provide synonyms and offer formatting improvements, too.
