Susan 馃悵 Rooks, The Grammar Goddess

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Wednesday Words & Woes: To, Too, Two -- By Special Request

Wednesday Words & Woes: To, Too, Two -- By Special Request

TO? 2?
TOO? 9
TWO? \.

I'M SO BLUE —
| DON'T KNOW WHAT TO / TOO / TWO DO!

I originally posted this on May 18, 2016, on LInkedIn in response to some readers' questions. But I wasn't posting here on beBee then, and it seems like a good one for many writers.

*****************

Sometimes I get lucky and a bunch of readers ask for help on the same homophones -- you know, those pesky words that sound the same (or nearly so) but are spelled differently and have different meanings. Quite a few folks commented this way on yesterday's Tuesday Tricksters post, so I though I'd make sure we all can correctly use these three words: two, too, and to.

It seems as though most writers use two correctly, somehow remembering it's the number 2, the one between 1 and 3. I rarely see any confusion surrounding this word.

BUT.

Oh my. What writers do with to and too ! Ouch.

So, let's finally learn how to use too, because if everyone already knows how to use two, and everyone can learn how to use too, then as the picture at the bottom says -- use to for everything else!

According to the American Heritage dictionary, too means:

  • In addition; also聽
    He's coming along with us聽too.
    Sarah wrote a wonderful story聽too!
  • More than enough; excessively
    She worries聽too聽much.
    Amy ate聽too聽many clams.
    Diane has 12 cats; that's聽too聽many, isn't it?
  • To a regrettable degree聽
    My error was all聽too聽apparent.
    I was a little聽too聽honest with my remarks.
    Bill studies聽too聽little sometimes.
    Javier says there are聽too聽few hours in his day!
  • Very; extremely; immensely
    He's only聽too聽willing to be of service.
    John is all聽too聽eager to help us with social media!
  • (Informal / colloquial) Indeed; so
    You will聽too聽do it!
    You can't do that.
    I can,聽too! (Meaning: Yes I CAN!)

So when we're making some sort of comparison, saying that something is MORE, EXTREMELY, VERY -- bigger or smaller or more or less -- we must use the word that has an added letter: TOO.



two too to

the number 2 also or more used for every-
thing else
I have two dogs! [[Brrr. It’s too cold| | went to the
for me! store.

 

28 =e

聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 ######

I hope you find this post to be relevant, and if so, I hope you'll share it with your connections, so they may learn as well. And please share your thoughts with us; I am always interested to see what my readers find valuable.聽

*********
My previous posts can be seen here on my website,聽and they're easy to find because they're categorized. Just type in a word on the topic you're looking for and see what I wrote on it.

*********

Do the associates in your company look and sound as smart as they are? They would if they could take one of my聽Brush Up on Your Skills聽workshops right where they work. If your company hires outside experts to teach any topic to its associates, please share my posts and聽website with your Human Resources or Training Manager.

I offer free generic聽Brush Up on Your Skills workbooks聽in a pdf format聽in American grammar, business writing, and interpersonal skills. They show what I teach in my three-hour corporate classes.

聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽Want one? Let me know which one, and please send me your email address.


| help business professionals
look and sound as smart as they are



"""
Comments
#3
Tausif Mundrawala, I agree with you! I don't find grammar fascinating, but it IS important. That's why I use humor everywhere I can in my posts and in my classes. Good grief -- I need to keep readers' and class participants' attention, or they'll all tune out and not learn. Thank you for your comment, and I hope to see you here a lot!
#1
Nope, I don't, Franci Eugenia Hoffman! And don't you just use those three words BEAUTIFULLY! Bless your heart.

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