If you are wondering about how tos or how to’s, the correct plural form is usually how-tos. The apostrophe in how to’s is not needed because you are making a noun plural, not showing ownership. You may also see how-to used as a noun or adjective.
For example, you can say, “I found several useful how-tos online.” Here, how-tos means guides that explain how to do something. The word is often used for instructions, tutorials, and simple guides.
This small spelling question causes confusion because how to normally appears as two separate words. When the expression becomes a noun, the hyphen helps readers see that the whole phrase works as one word group.
Simple Answer in One Look
The preferred plural form is how-tos.
- how-to = a guide or instruction
- how-tos = more than one guide
- how to = the normal phrase used before a verb
- how to’s = generally incorrect when used simply as a plural
Example:
“Her website has many helpful how-tos.”
What Does “How Tos” Mean?
A how-to is a guide that teaches someone how to do something.
It can be a short set of instructions, a written tutorial, a video guide, or a step-by-step explanation.
For example:
- A guide explaining how to bake a cake is a how-to.
- A video explaining how to fix a bike is a how-to.
- A post explaining how to create a website is a how-to.
When you have more than one, you need the plural form how-tos.
Think about it like this:
One how-to → two how-tos
The expression is often used in websites, magazines, newspapers, books, and online learning.
You may see titles such as:
- How-Tos for Beginners
- Easy How-Tos for Homeowners
- Useful How-Tos for Students
- Computer How-Tos
- Cooking How-Tos
The meaning stays simple. A how-to is something that tells you how to do something.
What Is the Correct Spelling?
The safest standard spelling for the plural noun is how-tos.
The singular form is normally written how-to when it is being used as a noun.
For example:
- “I read a helpful how-to.”
- “The magazine published several how-tos.”
- “This how-to explains the process.”
- “She writes cooking how-tos.”
The apostrophe in how to’s is not normally used for a simple plural.
Apostrophes can have several jobs in English. One common job is to show possession.
For example:
- “The teacher’s book”
- “James’s car”
- “The dog’s toy”
But a normal plural does not need an apostrophe.
We write:
- book → books
- guide → guides
- tutorial → tutorials
- how-to → how-tos
So how-tos follows the same basic idea.
What Is the Difference Between “How Tos” and “How To’s”?
The main difference is spelling.
How-tos is the preferred plural spelling when you are talking about several guides or tutorials.
How to’s uses an unnecessary apostrophe for the plural.
Here is a simple comparison:
| Form | Meaning | Use |
|---|---|---|
| how to | A phrase introducing an action | Correct |
| how-to | A guide or tutorial | Correct |
| how-tos | More than one guide | Correct |
| how to’s | Attempted plural of how-to | Usually incorrect |
Consider these examples:
“Can you show me how to install the app?”
Here, how to is simply part of the sentence.
“I found a useful how-to about installing the app.”
Here, how-to is a noun.
“I found several useful how-tos.”
Here, how-tos is the plural noun.
The apostrophe does not belong in the last example.
Why Do People Get Confused?
There are several reasons people write how to’s.
The biggest reason is that people often think an apostrophe is needed whenever a word looks unusual. That is not true.
People may also think of an apostrophe as a sign that letters are being combined. In English, apostrophes can sometimes show missing letters, such as:
- do not → don’t
- cannot → can’t
- I am → I’m
But that does not mean an apostrophe should be added to every unusual plural.
Another reason is that how-to is already made from multiple words. When people need to make it plural, they may not know whether to add s, add an apostrophe, or change the phrase.
The answer is simple:
how-to → how-tos
The spelling can look strange at first, but it is easy once you see the pattern.
Which One Should You Use?
- Use how-tos when you mean two or more guides, tutorials, or instruction pieces.
2. Use how-to when you mean one guide.
3. Use how to when the words are part of a normal sentence and introduce an action.
For example:
One guide:
“I need a how-to for changing my password.”
Several guides:
“The website has many how-tos.”
Normal sentence:
“I need to learn how to change my password.”
A quick rule can help:
If you mean a guide, use how-to & If you mean several guides, use how-tos & If you are explaining an action, use how to. Visit more onsite vs on site.
Easy Examples in Real Sentences
Here are some natural examples you can use:
- “I found a simple how-to for making bread.”
- “The website has hundreds of useful how-tos.”
- “She writes how-tos about computer problems.”
- “Can you show me how to open this file?”
- “This how-to is easy for beginners.”
- “I read several how-tos before starting the project.”
- “The magazine published a new how-to about gardening.”
- “He searched online to learn how to repair the chair.”
Notice how how-to and how to can both appear in the same topic but have different jobs.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Mistake 1: Writing “how to’s” as a simple plural
Incorrect:
“I read three how to’s.”
Better:
“I read three how-tos.”
The apostrophe is not needed.
Mistake 2: Using “how-tos” when you mean the phrase “how to”
Incorrect:
“I learned how-tos cook rice.”
Correct:
“I learned how to cook rice.”
The phrase before an action is how to, not how-tos.
Mistake 3: Treating every “how to” as a noun
Incorrect:
“I don’t know how-to fix this.”
Correct:
“I don’t know how to fix this.”
When the expression introduces an action, keep how to as two separate words.
Mistake 4: Forgetting the hyphen in the noun
If you are using the expression as a noun, how-to is a clear and widely used form.
Example:
“I found a helpful how-to.”
For a plural:
“I found several helpful how-tos.”
How Is “How-To” Used as a Noun?
A noun names a person, place, thing, or idea. In how-to, the whole expression can name a guide.
For example:
“I need a how-to.”
The speaker is not asking, “How do I do something?” Instead, the speaker wants an instructional guide.
You can replace how-to with words such as:
- guide
- tutorial
- instructions
- lesson
- manual
For example:
“I found a useful how-to.”
means roughly:
“I found a useful guide.”
This is why the spelling changes when how-to becomes a noun.
How Is “How-To” Used as an Adjective?
How-to can also describe something that teaches a process.
For example:
- how-to guide
- how-to book
- how-to video
- how-to article
- how-to lesson
In these examples, how-to describes the type of material.
- A how-to guide gives instructions.
2. A how-to video shows someone how to complete a task.
3. A how-to article explains a process in writing.
This use is especially common on websites.
Where Does the Expression Come From?
The expression how-to developed from the common English question or phrase how to.
English speakers have long used “how to” when talking about learning or performing an action.
For example:
- how to cook
- how to write
- how to build
- how to repair
- how to learn
Over time, how-to became a useful label for instructional material.
As guides became common in books, magazines, newspapers, and later on the internet, how-to became a familiar noun and adjective.
The plural how-tos simply adds the normal plural ending -s.
There is no need to add an apostrophe.
The spelling may look unusual because the original expression contains two words. However, English has many compound expressions that use hyphens.
How Tos or How To’s: The Simple Rule
If you remember only one thing from this section, remember this:
Do not use an apostrophe just to make how-to plural.
Write:
how-to → how-tos
Not:
how-to → how to’s
The apostrophe does not make the word plural.
The difference between how to and how-to also matters. One is a normal phrase. The other can act as a noun or describe an instructional item.
That small difference becomes much easier when you see the expression in real sentences.
Now that the basic spelling is clear, we can look more closely at how native speakers use how-to and how-tos in everyday English, online writing, education, and different types of content.
How Is “How-To” Used in Real Life?
The expression how-to is very common in practical English.
People use it when they want to talk about instructions or guides.
You may see it on a website, in a magazine, in a book, or in a classroom.
For example, a website may publish:
- How to Change a Tire
- How to Make Fresh Bread
- How to Create a Resume
- How to Clean a Laptop
- How to Start a Garden
These are often called how-to guides or simply how-tos.
The expression is especially useful because it tells the reader what kind of content to expect.
If you see “how-to,” you can expect instructions.
If you see “how-tos,” you can expect several instructional guides.
How Is “How-To” Used on Websites?
The internet uses how-to content everywhere.
People search for answers to practical questions every day.
They may search for:
- how to reset a password
- how to write an email
- how to cook rice
- how to clean shoes
- how to use a phone feature
- how to make a website
A website that publishes these guides may call them how-tos.
For example:
“Our blog contains useful how-tos for beginners.”
This means the blog contains several guides.
You may also see the term in website menus.
A site might have a category called:
How-Tos
This is a natural plural heading for a collection of guides.
How Is It Used in School?
Teachers can also use how-to content.
A student may read a how-to guide before completing a task.
For example:
- a how-to guide for writing a paragraph
- a how-to guide for solving a math problem
- a how-to guide for making a science project
- a how-to guide for using a computer program
A teacher might say:
“Read this how-to before starting your project.”
The plural would be:
“The students used several how-tos during the project.”
The expression works well because it is short and easy to understand.
How Is It Used in Work?
Businesses also create how-to guides.
Employees may need instructions for using software, completing forms, or following a work process.
For example:
“The company has several how-tos for new employees.”
This could mean the company has guides explaining different tasks.
A workplace may also create:
- how-to documents
- how-to videos
- how-to articles
- how-to manuals
These materials help people complete tasks without needing constant help from another person.
How Is It Used in Informal English?
How-to is common in everyday and online English.
It does not sound highly formal.
It is practical and friendly.
For example:
“I found a great how-to on YouTube.”
That sentence sounds natural in casual conversation.
You could also say:
“I need a how-to for this.”
The speaker means they need instructions.
In formal writing, you can still use how-to, especially when discussing guides or instructional material. However, sometimes guide, instructions, or tutorial may sound more formal.
How Is “How-Tos” Used in Online Content?
Online writers often use how-tos to describe instructional articles or videos.
For example:
“Our website publishes how-tos for small businesses.”
This means the site publishes guides that teach business owners how to complete different tasks.
A technology website might say:
“Check out our latest how-tos.”
A cooking website might say:
“These how-tos will help beginners cook at home.”
The plural form is useful because one website can contain many instructional pieces.
Is “How-To” Formal or Informal?
How-to is a normal English expression. It is especially common in practical and instructional writing.
It is not slang.
However, it has a casual and accessible feel.
For more formal writing, alternatives can include:
- guide
- instructions
- tutorial
- procedure
- manual
The best choice depends on the sentence.
For example:
“Read the how-to before installing the software.”
This sounds natural and direct.
“Read the installation instructions before installing the software.”
This sounds more formal.
Both can be correct.
How to Use “How-Tos” Correctly
The plural form how-tos is useful when talking about multiple guides.
Here are a few simple patterns:
Pattern 1: Several how-tos
“The website has several how-tos.”
Pattern 2: Helpful how-tos
“I saved some helpful how-tos.”
Pattern 3: How-tos about a topic
“She writes how-tos about gardening.”
Pattern 4: Online how-tos
“I found several online how-tos.”
Pattern 5: How-tos for beginners
“The book contains how-tos for beginners.”
These patterns make the expression easy to use.
How to Use “How To” Correctly
When how to comes before an action, keep it as two words.
Examples:
“I learned how to swim.”
“She showed me how to cook.”
“He knows how to fix computers.”
“We need to learn how to use this tool.”
“Can you explain how to open the door?”
In these sentences, how to is not a noun. It is part of the sentence that explains an action.
This is one of the most important differences to remember.
Compare:
“I found a how-to.”
with:
“I learned how to do it.”
The first sentence talks about a guide.
The second sentence talks about learning an action.
How to Use “How-To” Correctly
Use how-to when it acts as a noun or describes an instructional item.
Examples:
“I read a how-to.”
“She made a how-to video.”
“He wrote a how-to article.”
“This is a useful how-to guide.”
“The magazine has a new how-to section.”
In these examples, how-to is connected with instruction or teaching someone how to complete a task.
Real-Life Usage Examples
Here are more examples showing the difference:
- “I need to learn how to use Excel.”
- “I found a helpful how-to about Excel.”
- “The website offers many how-tos for beginners.”
- “She watched a how-to video before starting.”
- “Can you explain how to fix this?”
- “He writes how-tos for new computer users.”
- “The magazine published a how-to on home repairs.”
- “We searched for how-tos before starting the project.”
- “This guide teaches you how to make a simple cake.”
- “The site has a complete collection of how-tos.”
These examples show why the spelling depends on how the expression is being used.
Why Is the Apostrophe Wrong in “How To’s”?
The apostrophe is usually wrong because the writer is trying to make a plural.
In English, ordinary plurals normally use -s or -es.
For example:
- car → cars
- class → classes
- book → books
- guide → guides
An apostrophe is not normally added.
The same basic idea applies to how-to:
- how-to → how-tos
The apostrophe in how to’s makes the word look as though something belongs to something else or as though letters have been removed. Neither meaning is needed here.
So the clean choice is how-tos. Visit more elieving vs reliving.
Can “How Tos” Be Written Without a Hyphen?
You may sometimes see how tos written without a hyphen, especially in casual online writing.
However, how-tos is clearer when you are using the expression as a noun.
The hyphen helps show that how-to is one compound expression.
For polished website content, headings, articles, and professional writing, how-tos is a strong choice.
For example:
Better:
“Our latest how-tos are easy to follow.”
This is clearer than:
“Our latest how tos are easy to follow.”
The second version may still be understood, but the hyphen makes the compound noun easier to read.
What About “How-To’s”?
You may also see how-to’s.
This is another common attempt to make the word plural.
For a normal plural, the preferred form is:
how-tos
not:
how-to’s
The apostrophe is unnecessary.
This is similar to other words where people sometimes add apostrophes to make plurals. The basic rule remains the same: a simple plural usually does not need an apostrophe.
Does “How-To” Have a Plural Form?
Yes.
The plural is how-tos.
Examples:
- one how-to
- two how-tos
- several how-tos
- many how-tos
You can use it just like other countable nouns.
For example:
- “I read one how-to.”
2. “I read two how-tos.”
3. “I bookmarked several how-tos.”
4. “The website has hundreds of how-tos.”
The meaning is easy to understand in each sentence.
Related Words You Should Know
Guide
A guide gives information or instructions that help someone complete a task.
Example:
“I read a guide about planting tomatoes.”
Tutorial
A tutorial teaches someone how to do something step by step.
Example:
“I watched a Photoshop tutorial.”
Instructions
Instructions tell you what steps to follow.
Example:
“Follow the instructions carefully.”
Manual
A manual is a detailed document that explains how a product or system works.
Example:
“Read the user manual before using the machine.”
How-to guide
A how-to guide is a guide that teaches a person how to complete a task.
Example:
“I found a useful how-to guide online.”
How-to video
A how-to video teaches a process through video.
Example:
“She watched a how-to video about fixing a bike.”
Tutorial article
A tutorial article explains a process in written form.
Example:
“The website published a tutorial article for beginners.”
Step-by-step guide
A step-by-step guide explains a process one stage at a time.
Example:
“This step-by-step guide is easy to follow.”
How Do Pronunciation and Spelling Affect the Confusion?
The spoken expression how to sounds very natural.
People hear it often in everyday speech:
- “How to make it?”
2. “How to fix this?”
3. “How to use it?”
Because the expression is usually spoken as two words, some writers may not know how to spell it when it becomes a noun.
The hyphen in how-to is a writing choice that helps connect the words.
When the noun becomes plural, the s is added to the whole compound:
how-to + s = how-tos
This is why spelling can feel unusual even though the rule is simple.
How Do Editors Treat “How-Tos”?
Editors generally want readers to understand a word quickly.
A hyphen can help when two words work together as one unit.
For this reason, how-to and how-tos are useful forms in edited writing.
Style choices can vary between publications. Some style guides or publishers may have their own preferences for compounds. You may therefore see different forms in different sources.
Still, if you are writing a normal English article and want a clear standard choice, how-to for the singular noun and how-tos for the plural are good choices.
How Tos or How To’s in Website Headings
Website headings often use short labels.
For example:
- How-Tos
- How-To Guides
- Easy How-Tos
- Beginner How-Tos
- Computer How-Tos
If your website has a category for instructional content, How-Tos is a clear heading.
You should avoid:
How To’s
because the apostrophe is not needed for the plural.
You may also use:
How-To Guides
This is especially clear for readers who may not know the word how-to.
How Tos or How To’s in SEO Content
If you are writing an article around a search phrase such as how tos or how to’s, the article should answer the spelling question naturally.
Do not repeat the phrase in every paragraph.
A reader mainly wants to know:
- Which form is correct?
- Why is the apostrophe wrong?
- What does how-to mean?
- How do I make it plural?
- When should I use how to?
- Can I use how-tos in website content?
Once those questions are answered, natural related phrases are enough.
For example, you can use:
- correct spelling
- plural form
- how-to guide
- tutorial
- instructional guide
- common spelling mistake
- correct usage
- how to use
- how-to video
This makes the article useful without making the writing sound forced.
Common Questions People Have
People often search for this spelling because the expression looks unusual. The most common questions are easy to answer.
Is “how to’s” correct?
Usually no. If you mean more than one how-to guide, use how-tos.
Is “how-tos” correct?
Yes. How-tos is the preferred plural form of the noun how-to.
What does “how-to” mean?
A how-to is a guide or tutorial that teaches someone how to do something.
What is the plural of “how-to”?
The plural is how-tos.
Should I use an apostrophe in how-tos?
No. The plural does not need an apostrophe.
What is the difference between how to and how-to?
How to is used in a normal phrase, such as “learn how to cook.” How-to can be a noun or describe an instructional guide.
Can I write “how to’s” in a blog?
It is better to write how-tos when you mean several guides.
Is “how-tos” formal English?
It is standard and widely understood, especially in practical and instructional writing. In more formal settings, “guides” or “instructions” may also work. Visit more in process vs in progress.
Final Teacher Explanation
Think of how to as the normal phrase you use when talking about an action.
“I know how to swim.”
“I learned how to cook.”
“Show me how to do it.”
Now think of how-to as the name of a guide.
“I found a how-to.”
When you have more than one guide, simply add s:
“I found several how-tos.”
You do not need an apostrophe.
So the three forms are easy to remember:
how to = phrase about doing something
how-to = one guide
how-tos = more than one guide
That is the main lesson.
Final Answer — Quick Recap
The preferred spelling is how-tos when you mean more than one how-to guide. How to’s is generally incorrect because an apostrophe is not needed to make the plural.
Use how to in sentences such as “I learned how to cook.” Use how-to for one guide and how-tos for several guides.
The easiest rule is: how-to → how-tos, not how-to’s.
Conclusion
The question of how tos or how to’s is really a question about how English handles compound expressions. The answer is simple once you separate the normal phrase from the noun. How to is used when talking about an action, while how-to can name a guide or describe instructional content.
When you need the plural noun, write how-tos. The apostrophe is not needed. This form works naturally in website content, school materials, magazines, guides, and everyday writing.
If you remember the basic pattern, you will not need to guess again. One guide is a how-to. Several guides are how-tos. A sentence about learning an action uses how to. That small difference keeps your writing clear and correct.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is “how to’s” the correct plural?
No. When you mean several how-to guides, the preferred plural is how-tos.
Is “how-tos” correct English?
Yes. How-tos is a standard way to refer to multiple how-to guides or tutorials.
What is the singular form of how-tos?
The singular form is how-to when it is used as a noun.
What is the difference between how to and how-to?
How to is a phrase used before an action, such as “how to cook.” How-to can mean a guide or tutorial.
Why does how-to need a hyphen?
The hyphen helps show that the words work together as one compound expression when used as a noun or modifier.
Should how-tos have an apostrophe?
No. The normal plural form is how-tos, without an apostrophe.
Can I use how-tos in formal writing?
Yes. It is standard and clear, especially when discussing guides or instructional material. “Guides” may be a more formal alternative in some contexts.
Is how-to the same as tutorial?
They can have a similar meaning. A how-to is usually a practical guide that explains how to complete a task, while a tutorial can refer to a broader teaching lesson.
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