“Toward” vs. “To”

Common English Blunders, Prepositions, Versus

Misuse of these two words is rare, but they’re worth a second look.

Problem:
The prepositions “toward” and “to” are not synonyms.

Explanation:
The primary definition of the preposition “toward” is in the direction of. For example, flying toward Houston would be appropriate.

Aside:
You might wonder whether “toward” and “towards” mean the same thing. To most people, they do. The distinction is a dialectical one. “Toward” is more common in American English; “towards” is more common in British English.

Solution:
Use “toward” when you want to indicate in the direction of; use “to” otherwise.