to know to + VERB vs. to know how to + VERB
– B1-B2 (intermediate) –
Practice Your Listening Comprehension
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It is a common mistake among many English learners to use the structure, “to know to + VERB,” instead of “to know how to + VERB.” These phrases do not mean the same thing.
to know to + VERB
In Canadian English, the structure “to know to + VERB” typically means:
to know what action is important, necessary, or required in a particular situation
EXAMPLES
“I know to eat healthy and exercise–my doctor told me that I had to. But sometimes it can be really hard.”
“In the morning, I know to check my emails before I start doing other tasks at work. Otherwise, I might miss an unexpected meeting, not know about a change to a project, or do something that is no longer necessary.”
to know how to + VERB
In Canadian English, the structure “to know how to + VERB” typically means:
to have sufficient knowledge about an action in order to do the action
EXAMPLES
“I did not know how to make lasagne until I took an Italian cooking class.”
“She knows how to speak three languages because her school was in English, her father has always spoken to her in Portuguese, and her mother has always spoken to her in Ukrainian.”
What do you know to do at work? Is there anything in life that you know to do? What do you know how to do? Practice using these different expressions by sharing your answers with me in the comments below.
