The word “to” is one of the most common words in English, used primarily as a preposition showing direction, purpose, or relationship, and also as part of the infinitive form of verbs. Despite its simplicity, writers use “to” in countless ways to shape meaning. The examples below show how “to” appears in authentic sentences from real texts.
Real Examples
“You mean to say that you will cross thirty without submitting to arrest?” he almost shouted.
Source: Beyond Thirty by Edgar Rice Burroughs
16 words, 93 characters
You cannot pass it without submitting to the humiliation of calling yourself Mr. Chamberlain.
Source: The Man Who Was Thursday by G. K. Chesterton
14 words, 94 characters
It would grow up to be a man, a human soul, with a personality all its own, a will of its own!
Source: The Jungle by Upton Sinclair
22 words, 94 characters
They were in part peculiar indeed, but I have followed them to each last detail as faithfully as I was able.
Source: A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs
21 words, 108 characters
I trust I give no offence to the companion of my youth, in submitting this proposition to his cooler judgement?
Source: David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
20 words, 111 characters
As to the details of his life during these years he was very reticent, in fact he would not talk of them at all.
Source: A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs
24 words, 112 characters
I had always been his favorite among the younger generation of Carters and so I hastened to comply with his demand.
Source: A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs
21 words, 115 characters
Or were they simply fools or cowards, submitting blindly, because they had not the wit nor the will to do otherwise?
Source: King Coal by Upton Sinclair
21 words, 116 characters
And because of this conviction I have determined to write down the story of the interesting periods of my life and of my death.
Source: A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs
24 words, 127 characters
It was agreed that I was to hold down our claim against the remote possibility of its being jumped by some wandering prospector.
Source: A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs
23 words, 128 characters
He had no love for authority, and certainly not the slightest intention of submitting to the domination of an ordinary Swede sailor.
Source: The Beasts of Tarzan by Edgar Rice Burroughs
22 words, 132 characters
His property was left in such a way that I was to receive the entire income for twenty-five years, when the principal was to become mine.
Source: A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs
26 words, 138 characters
My first recollection of Captain Carter is of the few months he spent at my father’s home in Virginia, just prior to the opening of the civil war.
Source: A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs
28 words, 146 characters
She would impose her will, but her will would be only that a person or two shouldn’t lose a benefit by not submitting if they could be made to submit.
Source: The Wings of the Dove by Henry James
30 words, 150 characters
As Powell was familiar with the country, as well as with the mechanical requirements of mining we determined that it would be best for him to make the trip.
Source: A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs
29 words, 156 characters
In submitting Captain Carter’s strange manuscript to you in book form, I believe that a few words relative to this remarkable personality will be of interest.
Source: A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs
26 words, 158 characters
More examples coming soon.