A reader contacted me recently and asked:
Do I walk into, or in to the building? Do I go into the bedroom to get dressed, or do I go in to the bedroom to get dressed. I believe ‘into’ in both cases. Right, or wrong? I sometimes have problem with this. Is there a rule?
I had to meditate on this for a while. But there is a clear distinction between into and in to.
Use the word into, when you mean enter or transform.
Use the phrase in to, when you mean anything else.
The best example I found when searching for an illustration of the difference comes from writer George Roupe. Consider the following two sentences:
Turn the assignment in to the teacher.
Turn the assignment into the teacher.
In the first sentence, in and to are used to mean give. In the second sentence into can only mean transform.
If you mean to submit your assignment to your teacher, then clearly in to is your choice.
But perhaps you took an unusual class, like my recent winter intensive. In that case, I may intend to say that I turned the quinzee into my teacher.
You’ve explained clearly very. It’s amazing the way God puts our lives together like a puzzle - one piece at a time. On that day that we crossed paths ( Long Path s ) I hadn’t a clue that he had just placed another piece into my puzzle. Had I chose to go to Torre that day I wouldn’t writing this. Thanks for being there my,now, dear friend.
Comment by Elwood — February 5, 2008 @ 9:20 am
I appreciate your comments and support. Keep on writing.
Comment by jj_murphy — February 10, 2008 @ 8:24 pm