How To Vs How Tos: What Is The Difference And Which Is Correct

“How to” and “how tos” look similar, but they do different jobs in a sentence. “How to” is a phrase that comes before a verb to indicate a method or process. “How tos” is the plural of the noun “how to,” used for guides or instructions. Knowing the difference helps you write clearly and avoid a common grammar mix-up.

This distinction matters because both forms show up constantly in everyday writing. Bloggers, teachers, and content writers use “how to” guides almost every day online. Mixing up the phrase and the noun can make your writing look careless or unclear. This guide breaks down both forms so you can use each one with full confidence.

What Does “How To” Mean?

“How to” is a phrase made of two small words: “how” and “to.” Together, they introduce an explanation of a method, process, or skill. “How to” is almost always followed by a base verb, like cook, drive, or write. For example: “how to cook rice,” “how to drive a car,” or “how to write an essay.”

In this form, “how to” works as an adverbial phrase attached to a verb. It answers the question “in what way,” and it sets up an infinitive verb form. This is the most common way people use “how to” in speech and writing. You will see it in questions, titles, instructions, and casual conversation alike.

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What Does “How Tos” Mean?

“How tos” is different. It is the plural form of “how to” used as a noun. When “how to” becomes a noun, it refers to a guide, tutorial, or set of instructions. For example: “This website has hundreds of how tos for beginner cooks.” Here, “how tos” means multiple guides, not multiple methods described mid sentence.

This noun use is newer and less formal than the original phrase. It grew popular alongside online content, tutorials, and instructional articles. Many blogs and YouTube channels describe their content simply as “how tos.” Dictionaries increasingly recognize “how to” as a standalone noun in this sense.

How To vs How Tos: The Core Grammar Rule

The real difference comes down to function, not spelling.

Form	Part of Speech	Function	Example
How to	Phrase before a verb	Introduces a method or process	I learned how to swim last summer.
How tos	Plural noun	Refers to multiple guides or tutorials	She writes how tos for a tech website.

When “how to” sits right before a verb, it stays singular and never changes form. You would never write “how tos cook rice,” because the phrase is not acting as a noun there. “How tos” only appears when the phrase itself becomes the subject or object of a sentence. That usually means it is standing in for guides, tutorials, or instructional content.

How To vs How To’s: Does the Apostrophe Belong?

Many readers wonder whether the plural should include an apostrophe, as in “how to’s.” Most modern style guides recommend avoiding the apostrophe for this plural. Standard English pluralizes most nouns by adding “s,” and “how to” follows that pattern. So “how tos” without an apostrophe is the more widely accepted written form.

That said, “how to’s” still appears often in informal writing and casual blog titles. Some writers add the apostrophe to make the plural easier to read at a glance. This is similar to how some people write “do’s and don’ts” instead of “dos and don’ts.” Formal and professional writing generally favors the cleaner form without an apostrophe.

Using “How To” in a Sentence

Since “how to” works as a phrase before a verb, it fits naturally into many sentence types.

• Question form: “How to fix a leaking faucet?”
• Statement form: “I want to learn how to bake bread.”
• Title form: “How to Start a Blog in 2026”
• Instructional form: “Here is how to reset your router.”

Notice that in every example, “how to” is followed directly by a base verb. This pattern stays consistent whether the sentence is a question, a statement, or a title. The phrase never changes form, no matter how many methods or steps are being described. This consistency is one reason the phrase feels so natural in everyday English.

Using “How Tos” in a Sentence

“How tos” appears when you are talking about the guides themselves, not a single method.

• “The site publishes new how tos every week.”
• “I read three how tos before I finally fixed my printer.”
• “Her channel is full of simple how tos for new cooks.”
• “We need more how tos on basic home repairs.”

In each case, “how tos” refers to countable pieces of content, like articles or videos. You can count them, just like you would count guides, lessons, or tutorials. This is the clearest test for knowing which form to use in your own writing. If you can replace the word with “guides” and the sentence still works, use “how tos.”

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Common Mistakes

Even experienced writers sometimes mix up these two forms. Here are the most frequent errors.

Incorrect: “I need a how to fix my sink.”
Correct: “I need a how to guide to fix my sink,” or simply “I need to know how to fix my sink.”

Incorrect: “This page has many how to for beginners.”
Correct: “This page has many how tos for beginners.”

Incorrect: “How tos ride a bike is easy once you practice.”
Correct: “How to ride a bike is easy once you practice.”

Incorrect: “She wrote a how tos about baking bread.”
Correct: “She wrote a how to about baking bread,” since only one guide is being described.

The pattern behind every mistake is the same: matching the wrong form to singular or plural meaning. Before you write “how to” or “how tos,” ask whether you mean one method or many guides. If you mean a method leading into a verb, always keep it as “how to.” If you mean multiple guides or tutorials, “how tos” is almost always the right choice.

Similar Confusing Word Pairs

This kind of confusion is not unique to “how to.” Other short phrases that turn into nouns face the same pluralization question.

Phrase	Plural Noun Form	Example
Go to	Go tos	“These recipes are my weekend go tos.”
Do	Dos	“Follow these simple dos and don’ts.”
Must have	Must haves	“Here are five travel must haves.”
Know how	Know hows	“She has the know-how to fix any engine.”

These pairs follow the same basic pattern as “how to” and “how tos.” A phrase used before a verb usually stays fixed and does not pluralize. The same phrase used as a noun can take a normal plural ending. Recognizing this pattern makes many similar English word pairs easier to use correctly.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between how to and how tos?

“How to” is a phrase that introduces a method or process before a verb. “How tos” is the plural noun form, referring to multiple guides or tutorials.

Is how tos a real word?

Yes, “how tos” is widely recognized as the plural noun form of “how to.” Many dictionaries and style guides now accept it in informal and online writing.

Should I write how tos or how to’s?

Most style guides recommend “how tos” without an apostrophe for formal writing. “How to’s” is common informally, but it is not the preferred standard form.

Can how to be used as a noun?

Yes, “how to” can act as a singular noun meaning a single guide or tutorial. For example: “I found a great how to for changing a tire.”

Is how to always followed by a verb?

When “how to” functions as a phrase, it is almost always followed by a base verb. When it functions as a noun, it can stand alone or take an article like “a” or “the.”

How do you use how tos in a sentence?

Use “how tos” when referring to multiple guides, tutorials, or instructional pieces. Example: “This channel posts new how tos on cooking every single week.”

Is it grammatically correct to say how tos?

Yes, it is grammatically correct when used as the plural of the noun “how to.” It is incorrect only when used in place of the original method describing phrase.

What is a simple way to remember the difference?

If you can replace the word with “guides,” use “how tos.” If the word introduces a verb showing a method, use “how to.”

Conclusion

“How to” and “how tos” serve two different purposes in English, even though they look alike. “How to” is a fixed phrase that leads into a verb, showing a method or process. “How tos” is the plural noun form, used when talking about multiple guides or tutorials. Keeping this distinction clear will make your writing more accurate and easier to read.

The easiest way to choose correctly is to think about meaning before you type either form. If you are describing a single method, stick with the unchanging phrase “how to.” If you are describing several guides or pieces of content, “how tos” is the right plural. With this simple test in mind, you will rarely mix up how to vs how tos again.