Into vs. In To: What’s the Difference?

The words into and in to often confuse English learners because they look similar — but they’re not the same.

The key difference is function and meaning.

Here’s the simple rule:

• Into → shows movement or change of state (a preposition).
• In to → happens when “in” is part of a verb phrase and “to” belongs to the next word (they just appear together by chance).

1. Into: Movement or Change

Meaning

“Into” is a preposition showing movement toward the inside of something or a change in condition, direction, or form.

Examples (10 total)

1. She walked into the room.
2. He jumped into the pool.
3. The cat climbed into the box.
4. They got into the car.
5. The ice melted into water.
6. He turned his hobby into a career.
7. She looked into his eyes.
8. The story developed into a movie.
9. The caterpillar changed into a butterfly.
10. He translated the book into Spanish.

🧠 Tip:
If something enters, changes, or transforms, use into (one word).

2. In To: Two Separate Words

Meaning

“In to” is not a single word — it’s just the word “in” (often part of a phrasal verb) followed by “to” (a preposition or part of an infinitive).
They come together by coincidence, not because they form a single word.

Examples (10 total)

1. Come in to see me when you’re free.
2. He dropped in to say hello.
3. I went in to get a drink.
4. The teacher called me in to talk about my grades.
5. She turned herself in to the police.
6. I logged in to my account.
7. The manager stepped in to resolve the problem.
8. Please sign in to the meeting.
9. They went in to check the noise.
10. He came in to help with the project.

🧠 Tip:
If removing “to” still makes sense, it’s in to, not into.

Example:

• “He went in to eat.” → Remove “to”: “He went in.” ✅ (makes sense → “in to”)
• “He went into the kitchen.” → Remove “to”: “He went in.” ❌ (changes meaning → “into”)

3. Quick Comparison Table

4. How to Test Which One Is Right

Try this quick test:

✅ If it answers “where?” or “what change?” → use “into.”
✅ If “in” goes with a verb (like go in, log in, drop in) → use “in to.”

💡 Memory Trick:

If it shows movement or transformation, use into.
If it’s part of a verb + to, keep them separate.

5. Common Mistakes

❌ Log into your account.
✅ Log in to your account.

❌ She turned herself into the police. (This means she magically became the police!)
✅ She turned herself in to the police.

❌ He looked in to her problem carefully.
✅ He looked into her problem carefully.

6. Why It’s Confusing

Into and in to sound identical in speech, but grammar determines which one is correct.
Even grammar checkers can miss this subtlety — that’s why AI tools like Humanizey can refine context and ensure your writing stays natural and mistake-free.

FAQs

1. Is “into” always one word?

No. Only when it shows movement or change.

2. Can “in to” start a sentence?

Yes, if grammatically correct. Example: In to check on her, he opened the door quietly.

3. Is “log into” correct?

Not really — it should be log in to (two words).

4. Can “into” mean “interested in”?

Yes — “She’s into music” means she’s interested in it.

Practice: Choose the Correct Form (“Into” or “In To”)

(Answers are listed at the end.)

1. She walked ___ the store.
2. He went ___ get his jacket.
3. The frog jumped ___ the pond.
4. Please log ___ your account.
5. They turned the old barn ___ a café.
6. I came ___ check the results.
7. The baby fell ___ the water.
8. She came ___ hand in her assignment.
9. He’s really ___ photography.
10. The caterpillar turned ___ a butterfly.

Answers

1. into
2. in to
3. into
4. in to
5. into
6. in to
7. into
8. in to
9. into
10. into