What Part of Speech is “TO”
The word “TO” can be used as a Preposition and as an Adverb. Take a look at the definitions and examples below to learn how “TO” works as these parts of speech.
1. Preposition
“To” can be considered as a preposition if it is used to indicate that a noun/pronoun is moving towards something. For instance, read the sample sentence below:
“I am heading to the fire exit.”
The word “to” shows that the pronoun “I” is moving in the direction of the “fire exit.”
Definition:
a. expressing motion in the direction of a particular location
- Examples:
- He ran to the kitchen.
b. identifying the person or thing affected
- Examples:
- She went to the Church.
c. identifying a particular relationship between one person and another
- Examples:
- Come to me.
2. Adverb
In some cases, the word “to” can also be considered as an adverb if it is used to modify a verb. Take the example below:
“My mom came in and pushed the door to.”
In this example, the word “to” is considered as an adverb because it modifies or is referring to the verb “pushed.”
Definition:
a. so as to be closed or nearly closed
- Examples:
- She pulled the door to behind her.
- The wind blew the window to.
b. into a state of being awake or conscious
- Examples:
- When she came to, she was lying on the floor with her hands and feet tied up.