Gems of My Crown ~ To vs. Toward

To and toward are a pair that has confused writers since the beginning of time, apparently. I've been seeing this mix up quite a bit lately, so this one is definitely overdue. Let's get into it!

To

To is a directional preposition that expresses motion in the direction of someone, something, or someplace with an exact location established.

Example: Amelia went to her locker.

In this sentence, the subject, Amelia, has an exact destination--her locker. To is used to be clear about the exact destination of travel.

Toward

Toward is also a direction preposition, but it expresses movement in a direction only, without a specific destination. Using toward is like saying your destination is in the direction of a location, but that location is not your actual destination.

Example: Amelia stepped toward the lockers.

In this example, Amelia moved in the direction of the lockers but did not go to the lockers. The lockers were not her destination. The destination, which is not specified here, is the space between her original standing point and the lockers.

To clarify, here are a couple more examples.

There is a difference inferred between saying "I am going to New Orleans to meet with Maria" and "I am headed south toward New Orleans to meet with Maria." In the first sentence, New Orleans is the exact destination. In the second sentence, the destination is not specified. It is an area between the speaker's current location and New Orleans.

Saying "I drove toward Buffalo Wild Wings" is not the same as saying "I drove to Buffalo Wild Wings." In the first sentence, the speaker's destination is in the direction of Buffalo Wild Wings, but Buffalo Wild Wings is not the speaker's destination. In the second sentence, Buffalo Wild Wings is the speaker's exact destination.

These two words are often used interchangeably in common conversation. However, in more formal settings, especially in literature, it is important to use the correct term to ensure the audience is clear on the movements of your characters. Did Ahmaud move to the door or toward the door? Answer this question by determining whether the door is his destination or if he is now standing in the space between the door and the spot he was originally standing in.

Using these two words correctly in your writing will help keep readers aware of and clear on the movements of your characters.