Word
to
Definitions
01direction or destination
A1 · Beginner
prep. in the direction of a place or person.
prep. indicating a destination, direction, or final position in space.
“We walked to the park to see the ducks.”
“The commuters hurried to the station, hoping to catch the express train before the platform gates closed for the evening.”
Pitfall
I am going to home.
I am going home.
The word 'home' is used as an adverb here, so you do not need the preposition 'to'.
Antonyms
02recipient
A1 · Beginner
prep. the person or thing that receives something.
prep. indicating the indirect object or the recipient of an action or item.
“I gave the book to my sister for her birthday.”
“The manager explained the new safety protocols to the staff during the morning briefing.”
Synonyms
03time or range
A1 · Beginner
prep. used to show the end of a period of time or a range of numbers.
prep. denoting the terminal point of a temporal or numerical range.
“The shop is open from nine to five every day.”
“The temperature is expected to fluctuate between fifteen to twenty degrees throughout the weekend.”
Synonyms
04telling time
A1 · Beginner
prep. used to say how many minutes there are before the next hour.
prep. preceding a stated hour to indicate the remaining interval.
“It is ten to six, so we should leave now.”
“Glancing at his watch, he realised it was already a quarter to midnight and the last bus had likely departed.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
05comparison or ratio
B1 · Intermediate
prep. used when comparing two things or showing a score.
prep. indicating a ratio, proportion, or comparison between two values or entities.
“Our team won the game three to one.”
“The ratio of students to teachers in the private academy was significantly lower than in the local public schools.”
Synonyms
06with a verb
A1 · Beginner
part. used before the basic form of a verb.
part. a marker used to indicate the infinitive form of a following verb.
“I really want to learn how to play the guitar.”
“The board of directors decided to postpone the merger until the market conditions became more stable.”
Pitfall
I want to going.
I want to go.
After 'to' as an infinitive marker, always use the base form of the verb, not the -ing form.
07closed
C2 · Proficiency Literary
adv. in a closed or nearly closed position.
adv. describing a door or window that is pushed into a closed or engaging position.
“He pushed the heavy wooden door to.”
“She pulled the casement window to as the storm broke, shielding the library from the driving rain.”
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “to” in context.
Confusables
To marks a destination or an infinitive, too indicates excess or addition, and two is the number 2.
RememberTo is for travel; Too has an extra 'o'; Two has a 'w' like twelve.
Related words
Grammar
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A1 MoversIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.2.0–3.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 1.0–1.50–23TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.120–224
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- A1 · Beginner
- Updated
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