Is It “To,” “Too,” or “Two?” We’ll Tell You

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.”

However, to can also be part of an infinitive verb.

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.”

Too can mean “excessively,” “very,” or “extremely.” In this context, it’s functioning as an intensifier.

Here’s another example of when to use too:

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.”

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.”

Two can also be used as a determiner—a word that modifies or introduces information about a noun—that means “totaling two.”