‘He went too the shop.’ Or ‘He went to the shop.’ Which of these following statements do you think is correct? Most of you would choose the latter statement. But why did you choose this particular statement? How did you differentiate this sentence from the other one? All these queries will be dealt with in this article. After reading this article, you will get a clear understanding of when and how to use the words ‘too’ and ‘to’.
Many might find the English Language a bit tough as there are plenty of similar words that do not mean the same like ‘to’ and ‘too’. Since most students don’t know the difference between these kinds of words, they end up using them in the wrong contexts at times. To make sure that you don’t make the same kind of mistakes with the words ‘to’ and ‘too’, the following aspects will be discussed below. Let’s have a look at them to avoid all confusion.
- Table Summarising the Difference between To and Too
- The Difference between To and Too – Meanings
- Examples of To and Too
- To and Too – Conclusion
Table Summarising the Difference between To and Too
| To | Too | |
| Meaning | The word ‘to’ is used to express towards/until something. | The word ‘too’ is used to refer to something that’s excessive or overly. It also is used to mean ‘as well as’. |
| Usage | It is used as a Preposition and an Adverb. | It is used as an Adverb. |
| Example | I have to go shopping today. | He too was hurt in the accident. |
As the tabular data represents that though ‘to’ and ‘too’ are a pair of homophones (they have entirely different meanings) and can never be used interchangeably. To ensure that you don’t get confused while using the words ‘to’ and ‘too’, the following in-depth explanations will prove helpful.
The Difference between To and Too – Meanings
Most of the time, it is observed that people often use ‘to’ and ‘too’ in the wrong contexts. Since both of these sound the same, confusing them for one another’s cause is a common mistake. So it becomes helpful if you know the meanings of the words. The word ‘to’ is used to indicate a movement towards or a position or direction, for example, ‘Joe went to school.’ Here, ‘to’ refers to Joe moving in the direction of his school, whereas, when the word ‘too’ is used, it refers to the degree/extent of something, for example, ‘Anne was too shy to perform on the stage.’ Here, ‘too’ is used to show how much shy Anne is to perform on the stage. The word ‘too’ is also used to refer to ‘as well as’ or ‘in addition to’. Once children understand this point of difference between ‘to’ and ‘too’, it will become easier for them to use these words in the correct contexts. Let us look at the examples below, as they will help students understand these two words more clearly.
Examples of To and Too
Let us take a look at the given examples of ‘to’ and ‘too’ to understand them clearly:
To – The boys went to the park to play football. (preposition)
Pull the door to. (adverb – to close the door)
Too – The little girl too went to the party with her mother. (adverb)
The moment the students grasp the difference between the words ‘to’ and ‘too’, it becomes easier for them to apply these words in the proper contexts.
To and Too – Conclusion
Though ‘to’ and ‘too’ are homophones, one can’t use both these words interchangeably or synonymously. The examples, along with the tabular chart and the in-depth analysis will help learners understand how or when they can use these words. Apart from this, BYJU’S offers various articles on many such ‘Difference Between’ two words that students often get confused with.
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