Then versus Than; To, too, or two.

These are two of the errors I see made too frequently when we wish to express ourselves now and then, but pick the wrong one rather than the right one (or two).

"To" is a preposition and an infinitive marker:
I want to go to the store.
"Too" is an adverb:
This is too much fun. [Here it is used to modify "much".]
I, too, want to go to the store. [Here it means "also."]
"Two" is a cardinal number (as opposed to an ordinal number, as second, not as opposed to a Bishop or Pope):
I too want to go to two stores.

"Then" is an adverb of time:

I like to go to the store now and then, too.

"Than" is a conjunction and a proposition:

I would rather go to the store with you than by myself.

I know you are smarter than I.

Spelling and Grammar Helps

As a language teacher, I spend a lot of time (not "alot") reading and correcting student papers, theses, etc. (not "ect."). I have become overly sensitive perhaps to spelling errors and the improper selection of homonyms, you know, those words that sound alike but that mean different things.

Therefore, I thought I would throw up a post on some of the most frequent errors I see from time to time for those who might be interested.

One caveat: I am a poor typist and I am aware that many errors are simply the result of the keyboard revealing the keys I push rather than the keys I had in mind. I know that many of my own errors in text messages, FB posts, and so on, result from my entry skills and from the spell checker changing my words. I am sure that most of your errors originate in the same way.

If these posts help, then great! They are not meant in any way to demean or demoralize.