To vs. Too vs. Two

To. Too. Two.

These three pesky little words can cause a lot of grief for writers trying to polish pieces and grammar sticklers weeding through the online comments sections. When you're in your writing groove, it can be easy to mistake which form to use, which is another reason why you should use ProWritingAid to check your work before you send it off to your editor or a client.

Here's a brief explanation of when and how to use each of the three forms.

When to use to

"To" is a preposition which indicates a direction toward something.

Consider these examples:

• The dog ran to her owner's side.
• He went to the store.

"To" can also be used with a verb to create an infinitive.

Consider these examples:

• They loved to dance.
• She wanted to see the market.

When to use too

The word "too" is an adverb which is often used to mean also (or in addition to).

• She'll have the lobster, too.
• He wanted to get a promotion, too.

"Too" can also be used to indicate excess.

• The dish was too spicy for me.
• The young puppy had too much energy.

When to use two

"Two" is the number between one and three.

Consider these examples:

• There were two people at the restaurant.
• The two runners moved side-by-side around the track.

Expert tip

If you're trying to decide between using "to" or "too," ask yourself what how the word is being used. If you're using the word as an adverb, you'll want to use "too." You can remember that because there's an extra "o" in the form of "too" that indicates excess or addition.