To vs. At: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 29, 2023
'To' indicates direction, movement, or purpose, often used for destinations or objectives. 'At' specifies a location or point in time, used to denote a specific place or moment.
Key Differences
To is primarily a preposition of movement or direction, suggesting a journey toward a specific destination. At, in contrast, is used to denote a specific location or place where something occurs.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 29, 2023
In usage, to often precedes a verb, forming an infinitive that expresses purpose, intention, or desire. At, however, is commonly used to pinpoint a precise time, indicating when an event takes place.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 29, 2023
To can indicate a range or extent, as in expressing a measure or degree. At is more static, often used to refer to activities that occur in a particular spot.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 29, 2023
When expressing relationships or responses, to can be used to show a reaction or a feeling towards someone or something. At is more specific to locations, being used to specify the exact spot where an event or action is focused.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 29, 2023
In idiomatic expressions, to is often part of phrasal verbs or idioms, contributing to the meaning of the phrase. At is used in idioms to emphasize the location or time of an action or event.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 29, 2023
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Comparison Chart
Primary Use
Indicates direction or movement towards a destination.
Specifies a location or point in time.
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Dec 29, 2023
Role in Sentences
Precedes verbs to form infinitives or express purpose.
Used to pinpoint a precise time or location.
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Dec 29, 2023
Indication
Can indicate range, extent, or relationship.
More static, focusing on specific spots or moments.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 29, 2023
Usage in Phrases
Part of phrasal verbs or idioms, altering their meanings.
Used in idioms to emphasize location or time of actions.
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Dec 29, 2023
Function
Suggests a journey, objective, or direction.
Denotes the exact spot or time where something happens.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 29, 2023
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To and At Definitions
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At
In or near the area occupied by; in or near the location of
At the market.
At our destination.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
At
To or toward the direction or location of, especially for a specific purpose
Questions came at us from all sides.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
To
Used to indicate appropriation or possession
Looked for the top to the jar.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
At
To or using the rate, extent, or amount of; to the point of
At 30 cents a pound.
At high speed.
At 20 paces.
At 350°F.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
At
In, near, or in the general vicinity of a particular place.
Caesar was at Rome
At the corner of Fourth Street and Vine
At Jim’s house
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Oct 19, 2023
At
Indicating occurrence in an instant of time or a period of time relatively short in context or from the speaker's perspective.
At six o’clock
At closing time
At night
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Oct 19, 2023
At
In the direction of (often in an unfocused or uncaring manner).
He threw the ball at me.
He shouted at her.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
At
Denotes a price.
3 apples at 2¢ (each)
The offer was at $30,000 before negotiations.
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Oct 19, 2023
At
In a state of.
She is at sixes and sevens with him.
They are at loggerheads over how best to tackle the fiscal cliff.
The city was at the mercy of the occupying forces.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
To
Used to indicate the relationship of a verb with its complement
Refer to a dictionary.
Refer me to a dictionary.
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Oct 19, 2023
At
Indicates a position on a scale or in a series.
Sell at 90.
Tiger finished the round at tenth, seven strokes behind the leaders.
I'm offering it—just to select customers—at cost.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
To
Used with a reflexive pronoun to indicate exclusivity or separateness
Had the plane to ourselves.
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Oct 19, 2023
To
In one direction; toward a person or thing
Owls with feathers wrong end to.
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Oct 19, 2023
At
Holding a given speed or rate.
It is growing at the rate of 3% a year.
Cruising along at fifty miles per hour.
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Oct 19, 2023
At
(used for skills (including in activities) or areas of knowledge) On the subject of; regarding.
The twins were both bad at chemistry.
He slipped at marksmanship over his extended vacation.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
To
Indicating destination: In the direction of, so as to arrive at.
We are walking to the shop.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
To
Used to indicate the target or recipient of an action.
I gave the book to him.
I spoke to him earlier.
He devoted himself to education.
They drank to his health.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
At
Primarily, this word expresses the relations of presence, nearness in place or time, or direction toward; as, at the ninth hour; at the house; to aim at a mark. It is less definite than in or on; at the house may be in or near the house. From this original import are derived all the various uses of at.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
To
Used to indicate a resulting feeling or emotion.
To everyone's great relief, the tuneless carol singers finally ceased their warbling.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
At
A relation of proximity to, or of presence in or on, something; as, at the door; at your shop; at home; at school; at hand; at sea and on land.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
To
Used after an adjective to indicate its application.
Similar to ..., relevant to ..., pertinent to ..., I was nice to him, he was cruel to her, I am used to walking.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
At
The relation of some state or condition; as, at war; at peace; at ease; at your service; at fault; at liberty; at risk; at disadvantage.
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Oct 19, 2023
To
Denotes the end of a range.
It takes 2 to 4 weeks to process typical applications.
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Oct 19, 2023
At
The relation of some employment or action; occupied with; as, at engraving; at husbandry; at play; at work; at meat (eating); except at puns.
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Oct 19, 2023
To
As a.
With God to friend (with God as a friend);
With The Devil to fiend (with the Devil as a foe);
Lambs slaughtered to lake (lambs slaughtered as a sacrifice);
Took her to wife (took her as a wife);
Was sold to slave (was sold as a slave).
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
At
The relation of a point or position in a series, or of degree, rate, or value; as, with the thermometer at 80°; goods sold at a cheap price; a country estimated at 10,000 square miles; life is short at the longest.
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Oct 19, 2023
To
Used to indicate a ratio or comparison; compared to, as against.
One to one = 1:1
Ten to one = 10:1.
I have ten dollars to your four.
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Oct 19, 2023
At
The relations of time, age, or order; as, at ten o'clock; at twenty-one; at once; at first.
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Oct 19, 2023
To
(arithmetic) Used to indicate that the preceding term is to be raised to the power of the following value; indicates exponentiation.
Three squared or three to the second power is nine.
Three to the power of two is nine.
Three to the second is nine.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
At
The relations of source, occasion, reason, consequence, or effect; as, at the sight; at this news; merry at anything; at this declaration; at his command; to demand, require, receive, deserve, endure at your hands.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
To
(time) Preceding the next hour.
What's the time? – It's quarter to four in the afternoon (or 3:45 pm).
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Oct 19, 2023
At
Relation of direction toward an object or end; as, look at it; to point at one; to aim at a mark; to throw, strike, shoot, wink, mock, laugh at any one.
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Oct 19, 2023
To
(informal) Often used without the hour
It’s quarter to (3:45, or 4:45, or whatever time ending in 45 would make the most sense)
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Oct 19, 2023
At
A highly unstable radioactive element (the heaviest of the halogen series); a decay product of uranium and thorium
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Oct 19, 2023
To
Used to describe what something consists of or contains.
Anyone could do this job; there's nothing to it.
There's a lot of sense to what he says.
The name has a nice ring to it.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
To
(regionalism) Toward a closed, touching or engaging position.
Please push the door to.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
To
The preposition to primarily indicates approach and arrival, motion made in the direction of a place or thing and attaining it, access; and also, motion or tendency without arrival; movement toward; - opposed to from.
Stay with us, go not to Wittenberg.
So to the sylvan lodgeThey came, that like Pomona's arbor smiled.
I'll to him again, . . . He'll tell me all his purpose.She stretched her arms to heaven.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
To
Hence, it indicates motion, course, or tendency toward a time, a state or condition, an aim, or anything capable of being regarded as a limit to a tendency, movement, or action; as, he is going to a trade; he is rising to wealth and honor.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
To
In a very general way, and with innumerable varieties of application, to connects transitive verbs with their remoter or indirect object, and adjectives, nouns, and neuter or passive verbs with a following noun which limits their action. Its sphere verges upon that of for, but it contains less the idea of design or appropriation; as, these remarks were addressed to a large audience; let us keep this seat to ourselves; a substance sweet to the taste; an event painful to the mind; duty to God and to our parents; a dislike to spirituous liquor.
Marks and points out each man of us to slaughter.
Whilst they, distilledAlmost to jelly with the act of fear,Stand dumb and speak not to him.
Add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
I have a king's oath to the contrary.
Numbers were crowded to death.
Fate and the dooming gods are deaf to tears.
Go, buckle to the law.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
To
As sign of the infinitive, to had originally the use of last defined, governing the infinitive as a verbal noun, and connecting it as indirect object with a preceding verb or adjective; thus, ready to go, i.e., ready unto going; good to eat, i.e., good for eating; I do my utmost to lead my life pleasantly. But it has come to be the almost constant prefix to the infinitive, even in situations where it has no prepositional meaning, as where the infinitive is direct object or subject; thus, I love to learn, i.e., I love learning; to die for one's country is noble, i.e., the dying for one's country. Where the infinitive denotes the design or purpose, good usage formerly allowed the prefixing of for to the to; as, what went ye out for see? (Matt. xi. 8).
Then longen folk to go on pilgrimages,And palmers for to seeken strange stranders.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
To
In many phrases, and in connection with many other words, to has a pregnant meaning, or is used elliptically.
We ready are to try our fortunesTo the last man.
Few of the Esquimaux can count to ten.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
To
Effect; end; consequence; as, the prince was flattered to his ruin; he engaged in a war to his cost; violent factions exist to the prejudice of the state.
Now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
To
Accord; adaptation; as, an occupation to his taste; she has a husband to her mind.
He to God's image, she to his was made.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
To
Comparison; as, three is to nine as nine is to twenty-seven; it is ten to one that you will offend him.
All that they did was piety to this.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
To
Addition; union; accumulation.
Wisdom he has, and to his wisdom, courage.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
To
Accompaniment; as, she sang to his guitar; they danced to the music of a piano.
Anon they moveIn perfect phalanx to the Dorian moodOf flutes and soft recorders.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
To
Character; condition of being; purpose subserved or office filled.
Made his masters and others . . . to consider him to a little wonder.
To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow;Creeps in this petty pace from day to day.
There was great showing both to and fro.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
To
Indicating a relationship between things or people.
She is married to my cousin.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 29, 2023
Repeatedly Asked Queries
Can 'at' indicate a general vicinity?
'At' is more for specific locations, not general areas.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 29, 2023
Is 'to' used with infinitives?
Yes, 'to' precedes the base form of a verb to form infinitives.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 29, 2023
Is 'at' used in email addresses?
Yes, 'at' (@) is used in email and social media handles.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 29, 2023
Does 'to' imply motion?
Yes, 'to' often suggests movement towards something.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 29, 2023
Is 'to' used in comparisons?
'To' can be used to compare, as in "up to" a certain point.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 29, 2023
Can 'to' be used for time?
Rarely. 'To' is mainly used for direction, not time.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 29, 2023
Is 'at' used for long distances?
No, 'at' specifies a point, not a distance.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 29, 2023
Can 'at' be used for activities?
Yes, 'at' often indicates proficiency in an activity.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 29, 2023
Is 'to' used in informal language?
Yes, 'to' is common in both informal and formal contexts.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 29, 2023
Can 'to' function as part of a verb?
Yes, 'to' is essential in forming infinitive verb phrases.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 29, 2023
Does 'at' work with specific times?
Yes, 'at' is perfect for specifying times.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 29, 2023
Does 'to' indicate a direction in phrases?
Yes, 'to' can indicate direction in phrasal verbs.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 29, 2023
Does 'at' have multiple meanings?
Yes, 'at' can indicate place, time, activity, or state.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 29, 2023
Can 'to' express purpose?
Yes, 'to' often indicates the purpose of an action.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 29, 2023
Is 'at' used in idiomatic expressions?
Yes, 'at' appears in various idioms, focusing on location or time.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 29, 2023
How is 'to' used in formal writing?
'To' is used in formal writing for direction, purpose, and infinitives.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 29, 2023
Does 'at' work with specific points?
Yes, 'at' is ideal for specifying exact points or moments.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 29, 2023
Can 'at' denote a state or condition?
Yes, 'at' can refer to a particular state or condition.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 29, 2023
Is 'at' used in digital communication?
Yes, especially in email addresses and social media.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 29, 2023
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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