How to is two separate words used as a verb phrase, like “how to bake bread.” How-tos is the plural noun form, meaning multiple guides or tutorials, like “these how-tos will help you.”
What Does “How To” Mean?
How to is a phrase, not a single word. It pairs the word “how” with “to” and a verb to explain a process or method.
You’ll see it in questions and instructions, such as “how to fix a leaky faucet” or “how to write a resume.” It works as an adverbial phrase describing the way something is done.
“How-To” as a Noun or Adjective
When hyphenated, how-to becomes a noun or adjective. A “how-to guide” or “a quick how-to” refers to a single set of instructions, not the action itself.
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What Does “How Tos” Mean?
How-tos is simply the plural of the noun “how-to.” It refers to more than one guide, tutorial, or instructional piece.
For example: “This site has dozens of cooking how-tos.” No apostrophe is needed, because this is a regular plural, not a possessive.
How To vs How Tos
| Form | Part of Speech | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| how to | Verb phrase | Describes a process or method | “Learn how to ride a bike.” |
| how-to | Noun/adjective (singular) | One guide or set of instructions | “I read a great how-to.” |
| how-tos | Noun (plural) | Multiple guides or instructions | “Check out our how-tos.” |
| how-to’s | Incorrect | Common misspelling | ❌ Avoid this form |
The Grammar Rule Behind It
Standard English forms plurals by adding “s,” not “‘s.” An apostrophe is only used for possession (“the how-to’s title”) or contractions — never for a simple plural.
When to Use “How To” vs “How Tos” in a Sentence
- ✅ “How to change a tire” (action/process)
- ✅ “I found three how-tos on changing a tire” (plural noun)
- ❌ “I found three how-to’s on changing a tire”
Correct Examples of “How To”
- “How to start a garden”
- “Watch this video to learn how to knit”
- “Steps for how to file taxes online”
Correct Examples of “How Tos”
- “Our blog has helpful how-tos for beginners”
- “These how-tos cover everything from cooking to coding”
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Common Mistakes
The biggest slip-up is the apostrophe trap — writing “how-to’s” when a plain plural is needed. This mirrors mistakes people make with other regular plurals like “CD’s” instead of “CDs.”
The Apostrophe Trap
Remember: apostrophes show possession, not plurality. “The how-to’s steps” (possessive) is different from “several how-tos” (plural).
Hyphenation Confusion
Another common mix-up is dropping the hyphen when using it as a noun. “A howto” or “a how to” as a noun reads awkwardly — stick with “a how-to.”
Quick Tips to Remember
A simple trick: if you can replace the word with “guide,” use how-to (singular) or how-tos (plural). If the sentence needs an action word, use how to as two words.
FAQs About How To vs How Tos
Is it “how-tos” or “how-to’s”?
How-tos is correct. The apostrophe version is a common but incorrect way to form the plural.
Is “how-to” one word, two words, or hyphenated?
As a verb phrase it’s two words (“how to”); as a noun or adjective it’s hyphenated (“how-to”).
Can “how-to” be used as a noun?
Yes — “a how-to” refers to a single instructional guide, like “she wrote a how-to on baking.”
What’s the plural of “how-to” in formal writing?
The plural is how-tos, formed the same simple way as “memos” or “photos.”
Do style guides in different English varieties agree on this?
Yes — both British and American style guides treat “how-tos” as the standard plural, with no apostrophe.
Conclusion
How to describes an action, while how-tos refers to multiple guides. Skip the apostrophe, and you’ll always get it right.
Olivia Smith is the author and admin of GrammarAct, an informational grammar website. She writes clear guides, simple explanations, and helpful lessons to make grammar easy for everyone.
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