Grammar Police: This is Just Too Much!
Don't Make Me Come After You!
These words are so basic that I think anyone who uses them incorrectly needs to go back to first grade spelling class, or at least proofread more carefully. I've seen this error made so often on AC that if it continues I'm going to start making arrests!
Two, of course, refers to the number that comes after one! This word is seldom mistaken for to or too.
Too means in addition to, also, or excessively.
To is for all other uses.
Examples:
This chili is too spicy for my taste. (The chili is excessively spicy.)
Are you going to the dance, too? (We're going to the dance. Are you going also?)
I broke my leg skiing when I ran into a tree, and bumped my head, too. (In addition to my broken leg, I have a headache!)
The last example brings up another common grammar mistake:
Into/In to
Into is a preposition that asks the question "where?" or "what?"
Examples:
When I blew a tire, my car went into the lake.
My son went into the army.
My dog turns into a snarling beast when strangers approach.
Into can also relate to time:
My flowers kept blooming into autumn.
In math class, into refers to division:
Two goes into ten five times.
In to are separate words that are sometimes used next to one another to imply intent.
Examples:
The firemen rushed in to rescue the family from their burning house.
I was near the video store, so I went in to rent a movie.
If you're unsure whether in to or into is correct, read the sentence aloud, pausing between in and to. If it sounds awkward, into is probably correct.
Published by Jill Davidson
Ms. Davidson is self-employed as a secondhand merchant, crafter, and free-lance writer. View profile
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27 Comments
Post a CommentThank you for the article. Sometimes I'm rushing and I miss these silly mistakes.
Seems so basic, doesn't it? But only to some.
Good job! We need more grammar police! Something I've been noticing EVERYWHERE lately is the misuse of "it's." GRRRRR. Makes me crazy. If you haven't already written an article about the difference between "it's" and "its," I think I will!
Great points and rather well taken. It is a sad commentary that I can take my kid around the neighborhood and point out grammar and spelling errors -- including the ones you pointed out -- on business signage.
Grammar is one of my favorite topics. Nice job with this one.
Great article! I also have a hard time reading articles with incorrect grammar or tons of mispelled words.
Great job on this. Bad grammar usually jumps out at me. I recall learning a list of the most commonly misspelled words many years ago, and I've kept them in mind. What bugs me is when someone says or writes, I have an ideal - instead of, I have an idea. I could create a long list of these types of mistakes.
I hate it when people us "am" instead of "i'm" eg. "am going to the store". Some people even use "his" for "he's" and vice versa. Another common one is "your" for "you're". Sigh, the poor english language.
Well, I really didn't intend to be funny, but hey, whatever works! Maybe it will be easier to remember!
The to/too thing drives me crazy! I think that is one of the most common mistakes writers make.