Preposition – “To”
To
The preposition to is a versatile word in English with several meanings and uses. Here are some of the most common meanings and uses of to:
Direction or movement:
To is often used to indicate the direction or movement toward a place or destination.
We are going to the park.
She walked to the store.
Indicating a destination:
To can specify a destination or endpoint.
He drove from New York to Los Angeles.
The flight is going to London.
Expressing purpose:
To can be used to express the purpose or intention of an action.
I am studying to become a doctor.
She went to the store to buy groceries.
Time:
To can indicate the time when something will happen:
The movie starts at quarter to 9, so we should grab our tickets now.
I’ll meet you at the cafe at ten to eight; that should give us plenty of time to chat
Comparison of similarity:
To is used to show a comparison or relationship between two things.
This painting is similar to the one you saw in the art gallery.
The taste of this dish is similar to the one I had in Italy.
Attachment or connection:
To can indicate a connection or attachment between two things.
He taped the picture to the wall.
The key is attached to the ring.
As part of an infinitive verb:
To is used before a verb to create an infinitive form.
She wants to learn French.
I need to finish my homework.
Giving:
To can indicate giving something to someone.
I gave a gift to my friend.
He offered his help to us.
Expressing a limit or range:
To can be used to express a limit or range.
The temperature ranged from 70°F to 80°F.
You can stay for up to two hours.
Indicating a relationship:
To can be used to indicate a relationship or connection between people or things.
He is married to her.
The book belongs to John.
These are some of the primary meanings and uses of the preposition to in English.
To + the common verbs:
Here is a list of some common verbs that are often followed by the preposition to in English:
Accommodate: They accommodated us to a comfortable room.
Adapt: She adapted quickly to her new job.
Adhere: It’s important to adhere to the rules.
Agree: We agreed to the terms of the contract.
Amount to: The total expenses amount to $1,000.
Apologize: He apologized to her for the mistake.
Apply: I need to apply for a visa to travel.
Appear to: It appears to be a clear day.
Attack to: They decided to attack the enemy’s stronghold.
Attach to: Please attach the document to your email.
Belong: This book belongs to John.
Call somebody’s attention to: I called her attention to the error in the report.
Cater: The restaurant can cater to dietary restrictions.
Consent: They consented to the proposal.
Confess: He confessed to the crime.
Happen to: It happened to be my birthday that day.
Listen: They like to listen to the birds singing.
Object to: She might object to the proposal.
Pay attention to: Pay attention to the details; they matter.
Prefer to: I prefer tea to coffee
React: How did he react to the news?
Refer to: The book refers to historical events.
Reply: I will reply to your email later.
Respond: He quickly responded to the emergency.
Succeed: She worked hard to succeed in her career.
Seen to: The repairs have been seen to by the maintenance team.
Speak to: Can you speak to the manager about this issue?
Subscribe to: I subscribe to several magazines.
Talk: I want to talk to you about something important.
Testify: She will testify to what she saw.
Turn: Don’t forget to turn the lights off.
Telephone to: I will telephone to confirm the appointment.
Telegraph to: He telegraphed to his family with the news.
Wire to: They wired to inform us of the change in plans.
These are examples of verbs and phrases that are commonly followed by the preposition to.
To + the common adjectives:
Here are some common adjectives that are often followed by the preposition to in English:
Acceptable to: His proposal was acceptable to the committee.
Accustomed to: She is accustomed to early mornings.
Adverse to: He is adverse to taking risks.
Attached to: I’m emotionally attached to my childhood home.
Attentive to: She is always attentive to her students’ needs.
Beneficial to: Exercise is beneficial to your health.
Clear to: The instructions should be clear to everyone.
Dedicated to: She is dedicated to her career.
Devoted to: He is devoted to his family.
Equivalent to: This amount is equivalent to the one quoted earlier.
Equal to: She is equal to the task at hand.
Familiar to: The concept is familiar to most people.
Grateful to: I am grateful to you for your help.
Hostile to: They were hostile to the idea.
Important to: It’s important to prioritise your health.
Indifferent to: He seemed indifferent to the outcome.
Inferior to: This material is inferior to the one we used before.
Innocent to: She was proven innocent to the charges.
Kind to: He is always kind to animals.
Known to: The truth is known to only a few.
Liable to: The area is liable to flooding during heavy rain.
Loyal to: They are loyal to their country.
Necessary to: It is necessary to complete the paperwork.
Opposite to: The solution is opposite to what we expected.
Pertinent to: Your question is pertinent to our discussion.
Polite to: It’s important to be polite to others.
Resistant to: Some people are resistant to change.
Sensitive to: She is sensitive to criticism.
Sympathetic to: He is sympathetic to their cause.
Similar to: This painting is similar to the one in the museum.
Strange to: The customs in that culture may seem strange to us.
Superior to: Their product is superior to the competition.
Unpleasant to: The situation became unpleasant to everyone.
Unknown to: This information was unknown to me until now.
Useful to: This tool is very useful to have in the kitchen.
Useless to: It’s useless to argue with him; he won’t listen.
Vulnerable to: Children can be vulnerable to illness.
These adjectives, when followed by to, help describe various attributes, characteristics, or relationships in a sentence.
To or for:
The choice between to and for after certain adjectives can depend on whether the preposition is defining the noun or pronoun that follows.
Here are some examples to illustrate this:
Useful to someone:
The information was useful to the team.
(The preposition to defines team.)
Useful for doing something:
The new software is useful for managing inventory.
(The preposition for defines the action managing inventory.)
Important to someone:
Your opinion is important to me.
(The preposition to defines me.)
Important for doing something:
Good communication is important for building relationships.
(The preposition for defines the action building relationships.)
Strange to someone:
This place is strange to me.
(The preposition to defines me.)
Strange for someone:
It would be strange for him to arrive so late.
(The preposition for defines him in the context of his actions.)
Necessary to someone:
Sleep is necessary to a healthy life.
(The preposition to defines a healthy life.)
Necessary for doing something:
A passport is necessary for travelling abroad.
(The preposition for defines the action travelling abroad.)
So, to and for can have different meanings and functions depending on whether they define the noun or the action related to it.
“To” in word expressions:
Here are some word expressions and combinations with the preposition to:
In addition to: In addition to his job, he volunteers.
In contrast to: In contrast to her brother, she enjoys sports.
In reference to: In reference to your question, please see the manual.
In relation to: The discussion is in relation to the budget.
In response to: In response to your request, we have sent the information.
In regards to: In regards to the issue, we are taking action.
In comparison to: In comparison to other models, this one is cheaper.
In reply to: In reply to your email, here are the requested documents.
In connection to: In connection to the investigation, we need your statement.
To the amount of: The total expenses amounted to $1,000.
To the end of: I read the book to the end.
To my (his) disappointment: To my disappointment, the concert was cancelled.
To my (his) sorrow: To my sorrow, I couldn’t attend the funeral.
To my (his) joy: To my joy, I received good news today.
To the north: The city lies to the north of the river.
To the south: The beach is to the south of the city.
To the east: The sunrise occurs to the east.
To the west: The mountains are located to the west.
To the right: Turn to the right at the traffic light.
To the left: The entrance is to the left of the building.
These expressions and combinations with to are used to convey specific meanings, directions, and relationships in various contexts.
Prepositions – “Till” and “Until”
Prepositions “Out of” and “From” to compare