To vs. Too vs. Two – What’s the Gist?
This group is a troublesome trio. As homophones, all three words sound alike, but they are obviously spelled differently and have different meanings.
- To acts as either a preposition or a particle.
- Too is an adverb.
- Two is either an adjective or a noun.
The key to choosing the right word is knowing which part of speech you need.
How to Use To in a Sentence
To definition: The word to is a function word, meaning that it is a preposition or a particle. As a preposition, it usually starts a phrase and indicates a relationship of movement with the object in that phrase. The object is either a noun or a pronoun.
For example:
- At the end of the week, he went to the store. (Preposition)
- They walked to the park for their daily exercise. (Preposition)
In the examples above, the words store and park are nouns, and they function as objects in their respective sentences.
To can also be a particle when placed in front of a basic verb form. This term is called an infinitive.
For example:
- He wants to attend the party. (Particle)
- The dog likes to run and to bark. (Particles)
The only difference between to as a preposition or as a particle is what type of word follows it. If a noun (or pronoun) follows close by, to is a preposition. If a basic verb form comes directly after it, to is a particle.
How to Use Too in a Sentence
Too definition: The adverb too has several nuanced definitions. It can mean also; or excessively; or as the word so.
For example:
- She swept the floors and mopped them too. (Adverb)
- It is too soon to tell exactly when a vaccine will be developed. (Adverb)
- After hearing the denial, the sibling retorted “You did too!” (Adverb)
The most common mistake with this word trio is substituting the word to for too.
How to Use Two in a Sentence
Two definition: As a cardinal number telling how many, the word two serves as an adjective. The specific definition is being just one more than one in number.
For example:
- The weekend is comprised of two days. (Adjective)
- They had two children. (Adjective)
By the way, two can also be a noun, meaning two countable, non-specific individuals.
For example:
- The errant children had to the count of two to make behavior adjustments. (Noun)
In other words, there is no noun following the adjective that needs to be described; essentially, the adjective serves as the noun.
Outside Examples of To vs. Too vs. Two
- But that’s exactly what makes the phone so appealing to those who still like their older models and don’t want to mortgage their home for a phone the size of Nebraska. –The Wall Street Journal
- Washingtonians are breathing the cleanest spring air they have in decades, a likely side effect of orders to stay at home during the ongoing coronavirus crisis, along with favorable weather, air quality experts say. –The Washington Post
- But polls have found Americans are more fearful of easing restrictions too early than too late, and some business leaders have cautioned against moving too quickly to reopen businesses. –The New York Times
- “It hurts, it’s such a pity,” Söder said, as noted in comments shared on the Oktoberfest website from the news conference. “We have agreed that the risk is simply too high.” –USA Today
- On an organic farm in western Washington two hours west of Seattle, Will Jevne has formed a coronavirus commune of sorts. –New York Post
- In Trinity County, some bus drivers are traveling up to 1.5 hours along winding mountain roads to deliver two meals per day to families who can’t afford to drive into town. –Los Angeles Times
Phrases That Use To, Too, and Two
There are several phrases and idioms that use the word to, too, or two, including:
Not to mention: To bring up an additional piece of information to further the point.
- During the argument, to further her point, she continued, “Not to mention . . .”
To be or not to be: Hamlet’s famous line where he is questioning whether to live or to die.
- The beginning of the well-known monologue Hamlet wonders, “To be or not to be . . .”
Too little too late: Something that isn’t done soon enough to change the direction of the situation.
- By the time he suggested counseling, the wife’s response was “too little, too late.”
You can’t have your cake and eat it too: It’s impossible to keep something at the same time as consuming it.
- She realized that she couldn’t have her cake and eat it too when serial dating clashed with wanting a monogamous relationship.
My two cents: When giving your opinion really doesn’t count for much.
- After giving her thoughts, she conceded, “That’s just my two cents.”
Know a thing or two: An understatement that means someone does know more about something.
- When the car mechanic was asked if he knew much about cars, he responded, “I know a thing or two.”
How to Remember These Words
A handy mnemonic device to use between to and too is to think of the phrase me too. Me too means another person feels the same or has experienced the same thing. Two people. There are two letters in too. In other words, when looking for a word meaning also, use the word too.
Finally, two has a similar meaning as the words twice or twin. These two words means two of something and all three words start with tw.
Article Summary
Is to, too, or two correct? Distinguishing among these three words can get tricky, especially since they are homophones. In addition to the memory aids, think about the sentence function of the word you want.
Do you need a preposition to show relationship? If so, choose the word to. Do you need an adverb expressing to what extent or also? If so, then use too. Finally, if you are looking for the concept of numerals, then pick two.
Which word to choose becomes too challenging since there are more than two words to select.
- To is a preposition or a particle.
- Too is an adverb.
- Two is an adjective or a noun.