Two vs. Too vs. To

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The “w” goes with “two,” the number, two “v’s” in a “w” make two. (Or according to its name, two “u’s” make two.)

“Too” is part of “too many.” It has more “o”s than it needs. The two “o’s” (“oo”) pair up with something else, as in “also”: “She’s going too. He’s not going alone.”

(It used to take a comma before it, but that’s one of the rules somebody changed.)

“To” is a preposition indicating a destination or a purpose.

Comparative examples:

• One plus one equals two. Two plus two equals four. Three plus three … That’s too high for me to count.
  • “two” = number
  • “too” = beyond what I can do
  • “to” = preposition for purpose
• Addie counted two hundred steps on her way to the barn where she was going to milk the cows. Emily went too.
  • “two” = number
  • “to” = preposition for destination
  • “to” = preposition for purpose
  • “too” = “also”
• The football game, with two overtimes, was too long for me to sit still.
  • “two” = number
  • “too” = more than necessary
  • “to” = preposition for purpose)

Credits: Photo by Priscilla Du Preez, Photo by Emmanuel Martin, Photo by Andrew Neel on Unsplash