To vs. Too

• To is a preposition with several meanings, including “toward” and “until.”
• Too is an adverb that can mean “excessively” or “also.”
• Just to be clear: two is pronounced the same as to and too, but it can’t be used instead of either of them because it’s a number.

In the hierarchy of things that drive grammar sticklers mad, to and too are near the top. It’s very common to see them confused, abused, and misused, and not just in YouTube comments or on Reddit. People seem to mix up these two funny little words all over the place, and it’s something that can happen to anyone.

How to Use To

To is a preposition and a versatile little word that can be used to say many things. You can use it to indicate a goal or a direction of movement, as well as a place of arrival. That’s the way you use it when you say you’re going to class tomorrow. To also plays a role when we want to indicate that a verb is an infinitive.

You’ll often use to when you want to indicate a relationship between words, relationship like possession, attachment, and addition. You get attached to people, you have things that belong to you. To is also used to indicate a range or a period of time, like when you say it will take you five to ten minutes to finish something.

There are other things for which we use the word to, but by now you should know enough of them to make sure you notice the difference between it and too.

How to Use Too

Too is also a useful little word, but it’s not a preposition like to, and it doesn’t have as many meanings. You can use it instead of “besides,” “in addition,” “also,” or “as well.” But you can use it for other things, too, like when you want to indicate excessiveness. If you find grammar tough, you can say that it’s too hard. In casual speech, speakers sometimes use too in the sense of “very”: That gal is too funny!

To, Too, and Two

Apart from being spelled very similarly, to and too are pronounced the same—[too]. And there’s another word that’s also pronounced that way: the number two. We call words that share a pronunciation homophones, and if you take a look at any list of commonly confused words, you’ll find plenty of homophones on it. Words like there, their, and they’re, your and you’re, and bear and bare are up there, along with to, too, and two. It doesn’t matter whether the homophones have different meanings and uses or if they are in completely different word classes; we still mix them up.

The only way to fix this is to repeat over and over again what each of the homophones means so that people who don’t know it get the chance to learn. For those who know the difference, a few minutes of proofreading should fix the issue.

How to Remember the Difference Between To and Too

Since they are pronounced the same, you don’t have to worry about mixing up to and too in speech. It’s writing that creates problems. But there’s an easy way to make sure you’re using the correct word. Because to can be used in more ways than too, it’s easier to remember that too can be replaced with “also,” “very,” or “excessively.” If you’re not sure whether the to you’ve written should actually be a too, try replacing it with one of those substitutes. If it works, you’ve made a mistake. If it doesn’t, you’re good. You can do the same to make sure that your toos are indeed toos and not tos.

Examples of To vs. Too

Crucially the FCO stopped well short of advising against travel to France, which is the most popular holiday destination in the world (and the second-most popular, after Spain, for UK holidaymakers). —The Independent

Had David Cameron not won an election he never expected to win, he might not have lost a referendum he never expected to lose. —The Guardian

Real Madrid superstar Gareth Bale has announced his engagement to long-term girlfriend Emma Rhys-Jones. —The Daily Mirror

The African turquoise killifish has one of the shortest lifespans of all vertebrates: it reaches the ripe old age of only three to twelve months. —New Scientist

But from what we’ve seen in this tournament I think she meant it, too. —The Guardian

Chances are that too much information running through our small brains clouds our thinking, making it more difficult to do our jobs. —TechCrunch

On the other hand, given that these references are too obvious, they may have been intentionally included to insinuate a Kemalist junta rather than a Gulenist one. —BBC

How to Navigate Political Talk at Work

You’re at your desk, writing an email and minding your own business, when you overhear your officemates chatting nearby. They’re casually discussing climate change, a topic you’re passionate about. You could weigh in and drop some serious knowledge on them, but if you do, you’re likely to be engaged in a debate. Should you resist the urge or jump into the fray? It’s a tricky question. After all, there’s a reason religion and politics have long been considered taboo in polite conversation.

The social dynamics of sensitive issues

Few subjects rival politics in the Things that Make Us Twitch department. Political topics are polarizing. Powerful cultural phenomena cause us to hold fast to our positions, which can make political debates emotionally charged. For example:

• The Dunning-Kruger effect is a cognitive bias that says the less skilled or knowledgeable you are, the more likely you are to overestimate your ability. People with serious gaps in their knowledge of government and policy, for instance, are likely to assume they know more than they actually do.
• Confirmation bias happens when we prefer or seek out information that confirms our existing beliefs. The Wall Street Journal’s “Blue Feed, Red Feed” is an excellent tool for observing the effects of this bias on the political articles liberals and conservatives share on social media, each with very different perspectives.
• The bandwagon effect is the cultural phenomenon responsible for the emergence of fads and trends. The more people adopt an idea, and the more popular it becomes, the more likely we are to hop on the bandwagon, too. Our tendency toward groupthink can make it challenging when our political opinions differ from everyone else’s.

The do’s and don’ts of talking politics at work

The social dynamics that affect our opinions on these issues make navigating the turbulent waters of political talk at work a challenge. Avoiding conflicts requires a little self-control and a lot of finesse. Here are a few do’s and don’ts.

Do remember that politics are personal and talking about them can be stressful

Whatever strong opinions you hold, it’s possible your colleagues have equally strong opinions that may or may not match your own. According to the American Psychological Association, one in four younger workers (ages 18-34) report feeling stressed or unproductive as a result of political talk in the office. The APA also discovered that more than half (54 percent) of American workers actively avoid discussing politics at work. Twenty percent admitted to avoiding coworkers because of their political views. So, before you spout off about foreign policy, consider whether you’re about to make a domestic faux pas by bringing up topics that make your coworkers uncomfortable.

Don’t let your guard down on social media

There’s a reason you often see phrasing like “opinions are my own and don’t reflect the views of [company]” on Twitter profiles—social media is a public soap box, and the people you work with may well be paying attention when you take to that stage.

According to a New York Times report, “For private employees, who account for about 85 percent of the work force, the First Amendment’s guarantee offers no protection from being fired for something you’ve said, either in the workplace or outside of it, as on social media.” It’s important to not only know your company’s policies about social media, but to understand your workplace culture. If your colleagues aren’t spouting political views on Facebook, for example, you might want to play it safe when it comes to sharing your own political views on a social platform, or at least limit the audience you share them with.

Do engage others with respect

There are gentler ways of engaging in political discourse. According to research from the Harvard Business Review, actors who used four simple skills when talking about heated topics were significantly more likely to be seen as diplomatic, likeable, and knowledgeable. (Conversely, people labeled the actors as “abrasive” and even “ignorant” when they neglected to employ these skills.) Those who successfully engage in political talk focus on learning (“I’m curious about why we see things so differently. Would you share your position with me?”), ask for permission (“Would it be okay if I told you more about my perspective on this issue?”), show respect (“I don’t assume I’m right. I value your insight on this.”), and focus on common ground (“Let’s figure out the goals we have in common and work from there.”)

In other words, don’t challenge people to look at things from your point of view, challenge yourself to see things from theirs. If you must talk politics at work, practicing these skills will help you maintain better relationships with your coworkers.

Don’t tackle heated issues

Discussions about things like foreign trade or taxes generally don’t push buttons, but if you decide to dig into issues like reproductive rights or same-sex marriage, you’re treading on dangerous territory. There are some political topics that have no place in office conversation. Ever.

How do you know if a topic is too hot to handle? Consider whether it’s connected with moral or religious beliefs. These issues are so deep-seated and personal that they almost always arouse strong emotions.

Do know when to walk away

Regardless of whether you were the one to broach the topic or the topic came to you, it’s okay to walk away from a political discussion. If you feel your hackles rising, step back before you become pushy, defensive, or argumentative. Be polite, firm, and direct. Take personal responsibility for backing off rather than suggesting the other person is upsetting you. You might say: “I’m not comfortable discussing this. Can we just agree that we see things differently?” If that’s not quite your style, deflect with a little non-political humor: “Hey, let’s talk about what’s really important today. Are there any bagels left in the breakroom?”

Freelancers–You Can Move Past Burnout. Here’s How.

It might start out resembling a normal workday.

Being a freelance writer is easy, and nothing ever goes wrong, you tell yourself.

You’re there. The requisite coffee is there. The well-worn keyboard sits just below the screen, which pulses steadily with notifications of various tasks, deadlines, and expectations. You’re used to this. Some part of you might even feed on it.

But then, something abnormal happens. Not that it’s unheard of to procrastinate on writing a little bit—even veterans who’ve hammered out dozens of books do it. But you find yourself spending an awful, just embarrassing amount of the day perusing the listings of dogs that are up for adoption at your local shelter. You keep cleaning your desk and finding creative ways to list the stuff you have to do instead of, you know, doing it. Did I remember to eat lunch today? Sigh. Do I deserve to?

Ding! A new assignment just landed in your inbox. The pay is respectable—the kind of day rate you drooled over in college—but you’re just not jazzed. What’s welling up inside you is dread. Please stop making me do stuff, you plead to no one. Oh no. Am I burned out? Maybe.

As a freelancer, your rent and food all hinge on your ability to dispatch assignments in rapid succession, ship invoices, and keep moving. That kind of frenetic pace can wear you down, and yes, sometimes it leaves you feeling burned out. How you might deal with it depends on the severity, as well as how much time you have. We’ll talk first about tactics you can use immediately, and then zoom out for a broader consideration of how you can surmount more lasting burnout.

Short term: Breathe it out

Are you facing a deadline today and worried you’re not going to hit it? Don’t panic. Take a deep, slow breath in through your nose, hold onto it for just a moment, then exhale. You can get through this.

First, if you need to, log out of any social media that might suck away precious time. And while you’re at it, quash any extraneous conversations that have been blowing up your phone. That twenty-person text thread half-full of people you don’t know all negotiating the details of what kind of coleslaw they’ll bring to this weekend’s barbecue? Mute them.

Close any tabs related to ordering cute boots or obscure vinyl. Do not check the news. Take a couple of minutes to stand up, stretch, and get a glass of water. Find some aspirin if you need to.

How much time do you have until your deadline? If you can, divide what you need to do into smaller chunks, and budget time for each chunk. Try to leave a teensy bit of room for yourself at the end—that way you’ll have a moment to stand up again before you give your work a final once-over and hit “send.”

If the beginning doesn’t come easily to you, don’t waste time feeling stuck. Instead, start with what is easy—a middle section, perhaps. This may help you work backward and find your way in. Where possible, try not to overwhelm yourself with minutiae; don’t fiddle. Remember to break down pieces that feel unwieldy into simpler, more manageable components. You can work through them, so long as you remember to breathe.

If some part of you relishes this challenge—feels alive and appreciates the adrenaline and the suspense of pushing a tight deadline—then be conscious of it. But if that feeling is utterly absent, keep reading.

Longer term: Say no sometimes

Like a muscle, your writing ability can be built and developed over time. But also like a muscle, it can sometimes become overexerted and need time to rest and recover. Such periods needn’t feel like slow punishment; they can be chances to take care of and renew yourself.

As a freelancer, you might be used to pouncing on every possible gig that slides across your desk. You might also have several bosses. And your work may rarely stay confined to set hours, as the familiar cycles of feast and famine sometimes find you working long into the evening or on weekends.

But don’t overlook the advantages of freelancing. For instance, say you want to spend half your Tuesday morning at the gym and afterward hit up your favorite diner when it’s not crowded, possibly while reading something terrible you could’ve written better yourself: You can totally do that. And at least once in awhile, for sanity’s sake, you should.

In other words, you can occasionally indulge in the luxury of turning down work.

This is, admittedly, a balancing act. It takes a lot of effort up-front to cultivate a steady freelance hustle, and you might feel hesitant about giving up whatever hard-won momentum you’re enjoying. With this in mind, it’s good to communicate with the people you work for; freelancers don’t have to haggle over yearly vacation days, but the smart ones let their bosses and clients know what to expect and when they’ll be off the grid.

Consider diversifying

So why are you a freelancer? Maybe you detest fluorescent break rooms and office politics. Maybe some aspect of your life demands the kind of flexible scheduling that a salaried job can’t usually provide. Or maybe you’re in the midst of a transition—and enjoying the opportunity to branch out in different places and work on various projects without having to commit to any single role or employer.

If that’s where your heart is, then whatever ennui, malaise or general burnout you’re wrestling may soon pass. In the meantime, we know it’s a cliché, but don’t overlook the time-honored hallmarks of self-care, like routine exercise and eating well—two essentials that are often abandoned in times of high pressure and constant deadlines.

But if the work has truly come to wear on you in a way that “burnout” doesn’t fully encompass, know that no job is worth surrendering your happiness, and that this is something hard-working and exhausted people seek professional counseling for every day. There’s no shame in that.

If, after some reflection, you conclude you can’t keep doing what you’ve been doing, it’s okay. There might be other bosses or clients for whom you’d be happier writing, and other subjects you’d find refreshing to focus on for a while—or at least less draining. Freelancing affords you the freedom to keep exploring.

What Is a Subordinating Conjunction?

A subordinating conjunction is a word or phrase that links a dependent clause to an independent clause. This word or phrase indicates that a clause has informative value to add to the sentence’s main idea, signaling a cause-and-effect relationship or a shift in time and place between the two clauses.

Sound complicated? Let’s break it down.

A dependent clause, also known as a subordinate clause, is a clause with two specific qualities. Firstly, it does not express a complete unit of thought on its own; it cannot stand as its own sentence. Secondly, it depends upon an independent clause—one that can stand on its own as a complete sentence—to form a complete idea. If independent and dependent clauses could be likened to Batman and Robin, the dependent, or subordinate clause would be Robin, Batman’s assistant. The independent, main clause would be Batman, his superhero boss.

Subordinating Conjunctions Showing Cause and Effect

The subordinating conjunction that is simplest to explain is because. Because is a conjunction with just one purpose: to show a cause-and-effect relationship between a subordinate clause and a main clause. On its own, a clause beginning with because is incomplete.

Because he wouldn’t wear a seat belt.

We have the sense that there is something missing here. Let’s add an independent clause so this statement has something to lean on.

Robin wasn’t allowed in the Batmobile any longer.

Now we will combine the two in a complex sentence.

Robin wasn’t allowed in the Batmobile any longer because he wouldn’t wear a seatbelt.

In this sentence, “Robin wasn’t allowed in the Batmobile any longer” is an independent clause. It could stand on its own as a complete sentence. A clause that shows a causal relationship such as “because he wouldn’t wear a seatbelt” (answering the question “Why?” or “For what purpose?” is often referred to as a clause of purpose.

Other subordinating conjunctions that can show cause-and-effect relationships and function in the same way are for, as, since, therefore, hence, as a result, consequently, though, due to, provided that, because of, unless, as a result of, and so/so that.

Batman required strict compliance with seat belt rules, hence Robin was not allowed to ride in the Batmobile.

Since Robin refused to wear his seat belt, Batman has banned him from the Batmobile.

Subordinating Conjunctions Signaling Relationships of Time or Place

Another function of subordinating conjunctions is to show a relationship between two clauses involving a transition of time or place. Some examples of such subordinating conjunctions are once, while, when, whenever, where, wherever, before, and after.

Once Batman learned that Robin had not been wearing his seatbelt, he took away his keys to the Batmobile.

Robin looked regretfully at the Batmobile whenever he passed it in the Batcave.

After Batman was done working for the night, Robin took a secret ride in the Batmobile.

Before Robin gets his job in the Batcave back, he must promise to stop playing with the Batmobile.

Comma Placement and Subordinating Conjunctions

Subordinating conjunctions that fall in the middle of a sentence are generally not preceded by a comma. This is the opposite of what is done with coordinating conjunctions, or words that join two independent clauses (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, and sometimes so).

When a subordinate clause begins a sentence, however, the whole clause (but not the subordinating conjunction itself) is followed by a comma.

Whenever, Batman was away, Robin drove the Batmobile.

Whenever Batman was away, Robin drove the Batmobile.

Robin drove the Batmobile, whenever Batman was away.

Robin drove the Batmobile whenever Batman was away.

A Handy List of Subordinating Conjunctions

• after
• although
• as
• as if
• as long as
• as much as
• as soon as
• as though
• because
• before
• by the time
• even if
• even though
• if
• in order that
• in case
• in the event that
• lest
• now that
• once
• only
• only if
• provided that
• since
• so
• supposing
• that
• than
• though
• till
• unless
• until, when
• whenever
• where
• whereas
• wherever
• whether or not
• while

Carmel vs. Caramel: Which Is Correct?

Generally, “caramel” is defined as a chewy, light-brown candy made from butter, sugar, and milk or cream. For example: I love eating caramels because they are soft and chewy. In contrast, “Carmel,” is used as a proper noun, and it is a popular beach town in California, known as Carmel-by-the-Sea.

Carmel and caramel are not different spellings of the same word. Caramel is the correct spelling if you’re talking about food or colors. Carmel is a misspelling when used in those contexts, but it is a word that can be used as a name for people or places.

For examples of the ways you can use caramel and Carmel correctly, read below.

Caramel and How to Use It

Caramel is a noun, and it can have one of the several meanings:

1 The sweet substance made by heating sugar or syrup until it turns brown, usually used as flavoring or coloring for food:

They are not the first bakers to note the affinity of caramel and chocolate, but by emphasizing the bitter, sweet and salty notes in both, they’ve made that rare thing: a perfectly balanced bite.

—National Post

2 A soft toffee made by melting butter and sugar:

Mr Willy Wonka can make marshmallows that taste of violets, and rich caramels that change colour every ten seconds as you suck them, and little feathery sweets that melt away deliciously the moment you put them between your lips.

—Roald Dahl, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

3 The color of caramel, light brown:

The color brown was the theme of her outfit as she donned a caramel-colored leather purse and a brown scarf that she wrapped around her neck twice.

—The Daily Mail

If you want to say that you’re cooking sugar until it melts and turns into caramel, the verb you could use for the process is caramelize:

But roasting not only helps maintain at least a bit of their texture; it also allows the juices to caramelize and condense.

—The Seattle Times

You can also find caramelize spelled with an s and not a z, and that’s also correct—it’s just one of the ways British and American English are different:

Cooking the fish under the grill allows the miso paste to bubble and slightly caramelise, while the fish cooks evenly underneath.

—Irish Independent

Caramel has been in use in the English language for a while, but it’s not one of the words you could trace back to Old English. It entered the language during the eighteenth century from Spanish, via French. Today, it’s occasionally misspelled as carmel, likely because of the way it’s commonly pronounced.

Carmel and How to Use It

But even if carmel is a misspelling for the sweet stuff, it doesn’t mean it should never be used. On the contrary—Carmel is a popular name for cities and geographic formations:

Part of a proposed zoning ordinance in Carmel would require new buildings larger than 12,500 square feet to have at least two covered spots for bike parking and a shower for people who bike to work.

—IndyStar

The Carmel is a lovely little river. It isn’t very long but in its course it has everything a river should have.

—John Steinbeck, Cannery Row

Carmel can also be a person’s name:

With a passion for English, Carmel Bavington’s retirement did not last long at all.

—Suffolk Free Press