Everything English

Here is a comparative study of the homonyms—affect and effect.

To, too, and two are very distinct, different words, yet they seem confusing to many.

To:

“To” is a very simple word, used in a variety of contexts in a sentence.

It can be a preposition, e.g., I went to the market, Hold on to me, I ate to my heart’s content, etc.

It can be used as an infinitive verb phrase. For example:

I had to let go

She sat down to think.

You ought to respect the rule.

Too:

“Too” is also a very simple word that simply means “also”/”in addition, “in excess,” or “extra.”

“Too” is an adverb.

Examples:

“I want to help,” said Piglet. “Me, too,” said Pooh. (Meaning= also)

That diamond ring is too expensive.  (Meaning = excessively)

I love you too. (Meaning = also)

The trick is to remember to use “too” (with an additional “o”) whenever the word should mean “in addition”. For all other usages, however, use “to.”

Example: Teddy is going to eat a pie. Shelly is going to eat a pie too.

Two:

“Two” is a number, commonly written in words (like all other numbers) if it is mentioned in single digit. It can be a noun or an adjective.

Examples:

I have two children.

The number she chose was two.

The vendor has two more shops to visit.

Sentence with to, too, and two:

Sarah wanted to go to the beach. Paul wanted to go, too. So, the two went together.

The basic rule for the two indefinite articles—“a” and “an”—is simple:

While “a” is used before words that start with consonants, “an” precedes words that begin with vowels (a, e, I, o, and u).

Examples for “a”:

A banana a day kept the monkey happy.

A dog squad always comes in handy for policemen.

It is a rainy day.

A snake slithered along the way.

I bought a new PC.

Ours is a happy family.

In the examples above, note that article “a” precedes words starting with a consonant. There is, however, an exception: If the word has an unsounded “h” as the first letter, then go with “an.”

Examples for “an” before an unsounded “h”:

Sergeant Wilson is an honest police officer.

It was indeed an honor to meet the mayor.

We may take at least an hour to reach Madison.

Examples for “an” preceding without an unsounded “h:”

Ours is a happy family.

A hat was kept on the table.

“An” goes with vowel words.

Examples for “an”:

An open theatre is better for children.

An ant is an intelligent being.

There is an exception to this theory.

Jonny has an egg and a glass of milk for breakfast.

An aunt of mine is visiting us now.

The “an” rule has two exceptions:  When “o” has a phonetic sound of “w”, and “u” has a phonetic sound of “y” (as in “you”), article “a” should be used.

Examples for “an” exceptions:

It was just a one-dollar deal.

“We insist on bonus,” a union member demanded.

The guest trashed a used towel.