FAQs about commonly confused words

Is it to who or to whom?

To whom (not “to who”) is the correct choice in the formal letter greeting “To Whom It May Concern.”

“To whom” is also the correct option at the beginning of a question (e.g., “To whom shall I give it?”).

But bear in mind that “whom” has a very formal stylistic effect, which you may want to avoid. In most everyday contexts, it is better to use “who” and put the preposition “to” at the end (e.g., “Who shall I give it to?”).

“To whom” (not “to who”) is also grammatically correct at the beginning of an adjective clause (e.g., “The man, to whom she was married for ten years, did not attend”). But again, “who” is often the better option, with “to” in a later position (e.g., “The man, who she was married to for ten years, did not attend”).

Using “to whom” in a restrictive adjective clause produces sentences that can be difficult to read (e.g., “This is the man to whom she was married”). Here you can leave out “whom” altogether and move “to” to a later position (e.g., “This is the man she was married to”).

The Quillbot Grammar Checker can help ensure you’re using “who” and “whom” correctly.

Read this FAQ: Is it to who or to whom?

Is snuck a word?

In American English, you can use either sneaked or snuck as the simple past tense form and past participle of the verb sneak.

In British English, “snuck” is regarded as nonstandard and should not be used in academic writing. Instead, it is sometimes used informally in British English, and it will often carry a humorous tone because of its nonstandard status.

You can check your grammar and spelling with the Quillbot Grammar Checker.

Read this FAQ: Is snuck a word?

Is sneaked a word?

Yes, sneaked is a word that has been in use for more than 500 years. It is the simple past tense form and past participle of the verb sneak.

Sneak is a regular verb and adds “-ed” to the infinitive of the verb to make these forms of the verb.

In American English, snuck is an accepted alternative to sneaked.

You can use the Quillbot Grammar Checker to make sure you’re using words like sneaked or snuck correctly.

Read this FAQ: Is sneaked a word?

What does sneak up mean?

When you sneak up on someone or something, you approach without being noticed. Sneak up is always followed by the preposition “to” or “on.”

We can use sneak up literally, to describe a person or creature moving stealthily, or we can use it figuratively to describe how events sometimes seem to arrive without our noticing (e.g., “As always, the examinations had sneaked up on us”).

You can find synonyms for phrases like “sneak up” using the Quillbot Paraphraser.

Read this FAQ: What does sneak up mean?

What is the past tense of sneak?

The simple past of the verb sneak is sneaked or snuck. In American English both forms are acceptable, but in British English, snuck is seen as a nonstandard form.

The same applies to the past participle of sneak.

You can check if you are using the correct form of sneak with the Quillbot Grammar Checker.

Read this FAQ: What is the past tense of sneak?

Is it bear fruit or bare fruit?

“Bear and bare” are commonly confused words. The correct spelling is bear in the phrase “bear fruit.”

For example, “All our hard work is now bearing fruit” (i.e., The hard work we did is now producing good results).