"to do" vs in order to

Both "to do" and "in order to" are correct, but they are used in different contexts. "To do" is used to express an action that needs to be done, while "in order to" is used to indicate the purpose or reason for doing something.

Last updated: April 03, 2024 • 86 views

"to do"

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to express an action that needs to be done.

Use "to do" when you want to refer to an action that needs to be completed or carried out.

Examples:

I have a lot of work to do today.
She needs to study to do well on the exam.
He has chores to do before he can go out to play.

Show examples from the web [+]

List all of the tasks, activities or pieces of work you currently have "to do"2.
The first mandate is precisely "to be" not "to do".
My old "to do" list.
AND... AS FOR PAIN, PAIN IS... DEFINITELY NOT ON MY "TO DO" LIST.
Work the rest of your "to do" list around your top three.
People say to me all of the time, that someone else just can't do for them, the things that are on the "to do" list.
Create a personal schedule Recording everything that must be done on a calendar or "to do" list will help him to keep track of important dates and deadlines.
One of the tried and true organization and time-management tools is the trusty old "to do" list.
Because she considered only what she was doing to be essential; she was too absorbed and worried by the things "to do".
Make that phone call, or put it on your "to do" list, and your mind will let go of the concern for now.
We must resist this temptation by trying "to be" before trying "to do".
But, in reality, it's a great time for us to step back and reconsider the direction of our businesses.Here is our top 10 list of "to do" items to get your business ready for next year:1.
Catch all the fish on your "to do" list before time runs out in this exciting arcade game!
Most are working long hours and that "To do" list keeps growing not shrinking.
Every day of the week and a "To do" box, you can select the language of your choice, see selection column.
Your only desire? "To do" the other side!
"To do" a sesshin presupposes a strong determination, whether it is a simple half-day sitting or lasts several days.
The days of the week indicated on it and a "To do" box.
Check off on your "To Do" list as to which tasks out rank others as far as importance is concerned.
If you have a "To Do" list that contains several tasks, it is wise to separate the items that must be done now from the ones that hold lesser importance.

Alternatives:

to accomplish
to complete
to perform
to execute
to carry out

in order to

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to indicate the purpose or reason for doing something.

Use "in order to" when you want to explain the purpose or reason for performing an action.

Examples:

She studies hard in order to get good grades.
He saved money in order to buy a new car.
I wake up early in order to exercise before work.

Show examples from the web [+]

7 days ago ... We use in order to with an infinitive form of a verb to express the purpose of something. It introduces a subordinate clause. It is more common ...
May 12, 2021 ... ... needs to make bold changes and significant investments in order to defend the vital institutions that underpin the American way of life.
'To' and 'in order to' are widely used, but you may confuse their interchangeability and their differences.
May 9, 2023 ... Cue the whole family suiting up and leading a rebellion against him in order to save the day. Despite the quantum shenanigans and weird ways ...
Mar 3, 2017 ... What information do I have to provide a lender in order to receive a Loan Estimate? Since October 3, 2015, loan officers are required to ...
Synopsis: Worlds collide in "The Flash" when Barry uses his superpowers to travel back in time in order to change the.

Alternatives:

so as to
for the purpose of
with the aim of
with the intention of
with the goal of

What Our Customers Are Saying

Our customers love us! We have an average rating of 4.79 stars based on 283,125 votes.
Also check out our 2,100+ reviews on TrustPilot (4.9).

"Amazing! I like that the editors are REAL people and not A.I., like some use. The editors actually see clients as real people and not just apart of their job, and it shows. 💖"
moggie April 2025
"TextRanch has been a great help to me, especially at work because I often email my boss."
Jhey April 2025
"Thank you!"
Sachi Nakama July 2024
"I have literally been through chat, PI, claude, bard and bing and I got conflicting answers! Thank you! Human intelligence reigns!"
Retha July 2024
"Faster than AI"
CYNTHIA December 2023
"This was very helpful and I personally think this site is the best."
Kaden October 2023
"It was extremely thorough and very helpful!"
imperialelisa October 2023
"7 years without any disappointment. Always 100% satisfied. You guys are the best in the world at what you do. Thank you so much :)"
Zubair Alam October 2023
"In a world of text messages and online communication, this is great to have as a live tool. Thank you."
Selena October 2023
"Without textranch I would be stuck!"
宏祐 October 2023
"Accuracy and fast response. Personal comments from editor. Thank you."
Clh September 2023
"I wasn't aware of this service, it's fascinating and more reliable than standard IA tools available on the internet"
Arturo September 2023
"The fact that you can get reliable fast feedback on your texts."
Vinicius Antonio August 2023
"you guys are better than grammarly i'm being honest here"
ordinary July 2023
"OMG! This is really good than any other text correction tools I've used so far. Highly recommend this."
Vehan July 2023
"Very fast and accurate. thank you."
mojtaba July 2023
"I love this app because it's help to writing skills all of students ♥️"
Tarisini July 2023
"This was exactly the mistake I was looking for, the wording dind´t sound right at first. Better than grammarly!"
Ente July 2023
"The immediate help that I received was reassuring and very satisfactory. Thanks."
priiiyanshuu July 2023
"this helps A LOT for my studies."
kathnunez02 June 2023
"Woow!! I would never have expected such precision! Thank you soooo much!!"
Berta June 2023
"Real Time Editor and not AI. Many Thanks."
Priya June 2023
"The very first thing excites me about Textranch is how much your editors care."
sepideh June 2023
"The fact that texts are checked by human editors rather than by AI, etc. I appreciate this!"
Анна June 2023