Into vs In To | Examples, Definition & Differences

Into and in to are pronounced the same, but they have different grammatical uses.

  • Into (without space) is a preposition that describes insertion, collision, transformation, or entry. It is also used to express that someone is involved with or interested in something.
  • In to (with space) is a combination of the two prepositions “in” and “to.” These words are kept separate when they are not connected, such as when “in” is part of a phrasal verb (e.g., “the teacher stepped in to break up the fight”).
Examples: Into in a sentence Examples: In to in a sentence
Sorry, I’m not into men! The criminal was turned in to the police by his own mom!
Luke quickly ran into the bathroom before the meeting. I was just checking in to see how you’re doing.
The artist put a lot of thought into each brushstroke of the masterpiece. Do you all want to chip in to buy a gift for Samuel?

How to use into

The preposition into is used to describe:

  • Something moving inside of something else
  • Something colliding with something else
  • Someone who is interested in something
  • A mathematical division
  • A transformation
Examples: Into in a sentence
The cat jumped into the box.

I bumped into another car in the parking lot.

Over the holidays, I’ve really gotten into ice-skating.

How many times does 5 go into 25?

Do you think we can turn our garage into a spare bedroom?

How to use in to

In and to are two prepositions that can appear together when “in” is part of a phrasal verb and “to” is part of an infinitive verb phrase. In this context, using “into” is wrong.

Examples: Into vs in to in a sentence
  • Leila broke into save her dog.
  • Leila broke in to save her dog.
  • I tried logging into access the new laptop.
  • I tried logging in to access the new laptop.

In some cases, the choice can affect the meaning of your sentence, such as when two similar phrasal verbs exist, one of which uses “in,” while the other one uses “into.”

Example: Into vs in to in a sentence
Sandra is turning into a popular student [is becoming popular].

Dex is turning Jake in to the police [reporting someone].

Frequently asked questions about into vs in to

Is it log into or log in to?

The correct version is log in to because “log in” is a phrasal verb. “To” often follows “log in” as part of an infinitive verb phrase or a prepositional phrase, but “in” and “to” should be kept separate.

  • Can you log in to update your contact information?
  • Emily logs in to her work computer every morning.
Is it tune into or tune in to?

The correct version is tune in to because “tune in” is a phrasal verb. “To” often follows “tune in” as part of an infinitive verb phrase, but “in” and “to” should be kept separate.

  • I’m tuning in to my favorite TV show this evening.
  • Please tune in to Radio 5 at 3 p.m. tomorrow afternoon!
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Julia Merkus, MA

Julia has a bachelor in Dutch language and culture and two masters in Linguistics and Language and speech pathology. After a few years as an editor, researcher, and teacher, she now writes articles about her specialist topics: grammar, linguistics, methodology, and statistics.