English is full of these little complex differences. What difference can an extra letter make? Well, quite a lot. Both of these examples of differences, who vs. whom and to vs. too both show that there are a lot of different rules that people need to learn.
Whether English is your first language or not, you may need to brush up on some of these skills in order to use the language properly.
Understanding the Difference
"Who" and "whom" are pronouns that often cause confusion due to their similar-sounding nature and the declining use of "whom" in everyday speech. Both words are relative pronouns used to refer to people, but they serve different grammatical functions in a sentence.
In a sentence, who and whom both have different functions. “Whom” serves as an object, while “who” functions as a subject.
Another way to put this is that ff who/whom is a subject (the person carrying out an action), use who. “Who is making that noise next door?”
If who/whom is the sentence’s object (the person receiving the action and therefore the object of the sentence), use whom. “To whom is this letter of complaint going?”
Use these words depending on the context of the sentences. As with a lot of things in the English language, the best way is to hear the two different words or see them used in specific context. For more info on checking out how to write formal letters, you can read our guide.
Proper Usage of Whom and Who
"Who" is used as a subject pronoun, similar to "he," "she," or "they." For example:
"Who is coming to the show tonight?"
"She is coming to the show."
In the first sentence, "who" acts as the subject of the verb "is coming." If you replace "who" with a subject pronoun like "she," the sentence remains correct.
Alternatively, "whom" is used as an object pronoun, similar to "him," "her," or "them." For example:
"Whom did you invite to your wedding?"
"I invited him to my wedding."
In the first sentence, "whom" serves as the object of the verb "did invite." If you replace "whom" with an object pronoun like "him," the sentence remains grammatically correct, though it does need to be slightly rearranged.
Still struggling to wrap your head around it? An easy way to determine whether to use "who" or "whom" is to apply the he/him method. Replace the "who" or "whom" with "he" or "him" and see which fits correctly. A way to remember this trick is that both “him” and “whom” end with the letter m, remember that they are linked.
So, if the sentence is either who/whom did you see at the football match?
"Did you see he at the football match?" (Wrong)
"Did you see him at the football match?" (Correct)
In this case, "whom" is the correct choice because it functions as the object of the verb "see," and "him" is the correct object pronoun.
You may still be struggling. This can be a tricky concept to totally get your head around. The video below can help you to hear the terms in action.
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To Whom it May Concern
The word “whom” has largely left the English language in some circumstances. It is certainly seen as old-fashioned by a lot of different people.
One example where it is alive and well is in letter writing where people use the term “to whom it may concern” in order to address the letter.
This is a method that is used to send a letter to somebody and you don’t know exactly who needs to read it. For instance, if you’re writing to a newspaper and you don’t know which member of staff will deal with your concern.
Ask yourself “Who does this email concern?” but if there is a specific person that you need to contact, and you know who this is, then there is no need to use the term. You already know who it concerns!
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Unravelling To vs. Too
It is one of those things that often makes people cringe. The words being used incorrectly can create a poor impression, especially when sending out a letter or CV. It is one of the tough aspects of learning to be proficient in English.
The words "to" and "too" are often confused due to their similar pronunciation but have distinct meanings and functions in English. Understanding when to use each is crucial for effective communication as well as not making yourself look uneducated. Let's explore the differences between "to" and "too" and their appropriate usage in sentences.
Let’s understand what the function of each of the words means
The Use of “To”
"To" has quite a few different uses in the English language. English speakers use this language all the time. In fact, it is thought to be in the top five words in terms of how common they are.
The use of the word “to” as a preposition is common. "To" primarily functions as a preposition indicating direction, movement, or destination.
“She walked to the park with her dog.”
In this case, "to" indicates movement and that she is headed towards a destination. “I am going to the show on Friday night” would be another example.
To can be used as an infinitive verb. "To" is also used before the base form of a verb to create the infinitive form.
Example: "She likes to sing."
Here, "to sing" is the infinitive phrase indicating the action she enjoys.
An infinitive verb, also referred to as a non-finite verb, is a basic form of a verb, discussing a concept rather than a specific action. Saying that someone likes to sing, or likes to walk, is talking about the whole concept of singing or walking rather than a one-off action.
“To” can also be used as an adverb.
Example: "The door is open to the public."
In this context, "to" indicates openness or accessibility. You may also hear things like “this event is open to everybody” which would also show the adverbial use of “to”.
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Using the Word “Too”
The usage of the word “too” is pretty simple. There are three main instances where the term “too” can be used.
Firstly, as an adverb of excess: "Too" is primarily used as an adverb to indicate excess, addition, or degree. Example: She ate too much Mexican food.
In this sentence, "too" expresses an excessive amount of food consumption.
Secondly, to explain “as well or also”: "Too" can be used informally to mean "as well" or "also."
Example: I want to go to the concert, and she does too. Here, "too" implies that she also wants to go to the concert.
Finally, in response to a positive statement: "Too" can be used in response to a positive statement to indicate agreement or similarity.
Example: A: I love this album. B: Me too!
In B's response, "too" expresses agreement or shared sentiment.
Keep in mind the fact that this only works with a positive sentence. Negative sentences do not apply. For example, if somebody said “I don’t like this album” the response would not be “me too” it would be “me neither”. Don't fall into the trap of using either instead of neither.
Differentiating "To" and "Too"
Understanding the context in which these words are used is crucial for differentiation. If the meaning involves direction, a preposition, or an infinitive marker, "to" is likely the correct choice. On the other hand, if the meaning relates to excess, agreement, or as well, "too" is the appropriate word.
Common Mistakes
One common error involves using "to" instead of "too" when expressing excess or agreement. For instance, saying "I ate to much" is incorrect; the correct form is "I ate too much." Similarly, using "He wants to come to" when expressing agreement is incorrect; the correct form is "He wants to come too." If someone is agreeing with a sentiment, they shouldn’t say “me to” they should say “me too”.
Mastering the distinction between "to" and "too" is crucial for clear and accurate communication. Understanding their specific roles as a preposition, infinitive marker, or adverb of excess will help you use these words appropriately in various contexts.
Also, never confuse these with the word “two” as this only means a number. There is no other use of “two” than to express a number, such as” “there were two ducks in the pond.”
It can be confusing but you may see multiple uses of “to” and “too” in a sentence.
“She had to go to the shops, too.”
Each of them is serving a very different function in this sentence.
Conclusion
So, we’ve covered these two in some level of detail. It can take a little while to get used to the use of who, whom, too, and to, especially when learning. The best way is to continue to read and use the language, as well as to test yourself regularly. If you are typing in English, tools like Grammarly can show you when you have made a mistake and help you to learn the differences. Grammarly is able to help you to understand the differences.
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