according to

Writers use "according to" to attribute information to a source. Small slips-extra prepositions, wrong pronoun case, or using it to state your own opinion-make sentences sound awkward or misleading.

Below: clear rules, frequent mistakes with immediate fixes, copyable rewrites, and comparisons with similar phrases so you can repair sentences quickly.

Quick answer: When and how to use "according to"

"According to" attributes a statement to a source: a person, group, document, or report. Use According to + source + , + statement (when the clause leads) or Statement + according to + source (no comma). Avoid extra prepositions (no "according to of"), avoid "as according to," and do not use "according to me" in formal writing-say I think or I believe instead.

Correct: According to the report, sales rose 5%.
Correct: Sales rose 5%, according to the report.
Incorrect: As according to the report;
Incorrect: According to of the report;
Incorrect: According to I (use objective pronoun or rewrite).
If it's your view, prefer I think / I believe / In my opinion.

Core explanation: what "according to" does

"According to" signals that the information comes from someone or something else. It must be followed by a source: a person (According to Maria), a body (According to the committee), a document (According to the memo), or an impersonal source (According to reports).

Form: According to + source + , + statement (leading clause).
Or: Statement + according to + source (trailing phrase, no comma).
Do not add extra prepositions or connectives around "according to."

Usage: According to the minutes, the board approved the change.
Usage: The board approved the change, according to the minutes.

Common errors and simple fixes

Most mistakes are mechanical: extra words, wrong pronoun case, or using the phrase to express the speaker's own view. Fixes usually require a single word swap or a short rewrite.

Drop extra words: remove "as" or "of" when they appear with "according to."
Use objective pronouns if a pronoun follows "according to" (me, him, her, them). Better: rewrite if it's your opinion.
Check agreement: the verb matches the grammatical subject of the sentence, not the source after "according to."

Wrong: As according to the memo, the policy changes next month. →
Right: According to the memo, the policy changes next month.
Wrong: According to of the study, rates fell. →
Right: According to the study, rates fell.
Wrong: According to I, this is fine. →
Right: I think this is fine.

Hyphenation and spacing (what not to do)

"According to" is two separate words. Never hyphenate or run them together. Use a comma when the clause beginning with "According to" leads the sentence; omit it when the phrase trails the main clause unless another punctuation rule requires one.

Correct: According to the guide, you must register.
Incorrect: according-to the guide;
incorrect: accordingto the guide.
Leading adverbial clause → use a comma. Trailing phrase → usually no comma.

Grammar notes: agreement and pronoun case

"According to" doesn't change which noun the verb agrees with-the verb agrees with the sentence subject. When a pronoun follows "according to," use the objective form. If the source is you, rewrite with I + verb.

Use objective pronouns: According to him, the plan is risky (not According to he).
Agreement: According to the committee, there are concerns (not there is many concerns).
If the source is you, rewrite: I think / I believe instead of According to me.

Wrong: According to the committee, there is many concerns. →
Right: According to the committee, there are many concerns.
Wrong: According to he, the proposal is ready. →
Right: According to him, the proposal is ready.

Fix your sentence: quick repair checklist (and rewrites)

If you're unsure, run this quick checklist. When in doubt, rewrite-the clearer option usually wins.

1) Identify the source: person/document or your own view? If your view, use I think/I recommend/In my view.
2) Remove extra words: drop "as" or "of".
3) Fix pronoun case: me/him/her/them after "according to", or rewrite.
4) Check verb agreement with the clause's subject.

Rewrite:
Original: According to me is true. →
Rewrite: I believe this is true.
Rewrite:
Original: As according to the notes, we must revise. →
Rewrite: According to the notes, we must revise.
Rewrite:
Original: According to of the article, results are mixed. →
Rewrite: According to the article, the results are mixed.
Rewrite:
Original: According to John and I, the launch went well. →
Rewrite: According to John and me, the launch went well. (Better: John and I agree the launch went well.)

Try your own sentence

Test the whole sentence rather than the phrase alone-context clarifies whether "according to" fits. Paste a sentence below to check wording and case.

Real usage and tone: work, school, and casual examples

"According to" fits neutral reporting and formal attribution. In casual conversation, simple verbs (says, told) or names ("Sam says") often sound more natural. Avoid "according to me" in formal contexts.

Formal/reporting: According to + source for reported facts.
Casual: Use says/told or "My friend said" for everyday speech.
School: Use according to for citing texts or lectures, and pair with proper citations in essays.

Work - Formal: According to the audit, compliance improved this quarter.
Work - Email: The client says the deadline moved up. (Short note: more natural than "According to the client")
Work - Memo: According to HR, vacation requests need two weeks' notice.
School - Essay: According to Smith (2018), the effect is small.
School - Class: According to the textbook, photosynthesis requires light.
School - Lab: According to the lab results, the sample reacted to heat.
Casual: Sam says the café closes at 8. (More natural than "According to Sam" in casual talk.)
Casual: According to my friend, that series is worth bingeing. (Fine in conversation.)
Casual - App: According to the weather app, it'll rain tonight.

Examples: wrong → right pairs (copyable fixes)

Direct swaps you can paste into emails, memos, or essays. These target the most common slips: extra prepositions, stray "as", wrong pronoun case, and using "according to" for personal opinion.

Wrong: As according to the client, the deadline moved up. →
Right: According to the client, the deadline moved up.
Wrong: According to of the survey, customers prefer option B. →
Right: According to the survey, customers prefer option B.
Wrong: According to I, the numbers are fine. →
Right: I think the numbers are fine.
Wrong: According to the committee, there is many concerns. →
Right: According to the committee, there are many concerns.
Wrong: The study shows, according to, that rates fell. →
Right: The study shows that rates fell, according to the authors.
Wrong: According to me, we should push the deadline. (formal memo) →
Right: I recommend we push the deadline.
Work: According to the client brief, the feature must be live by Q3.
Work: Sales figures, according to the quarterly report, beat expectations.
School: According to the textbook, Newton's laws apply here.
School: According to our professor, the assignment is due Friday.
Casual: According to Instagram, that restaurant is crowded tonight.
Rewrite:
Original: As according to the notes, we must revise. →
Rewrite: According to the notes, we must revise.

Memory tricks and quick rules to remember

Keep a simple checklist so fixes are immediate: source follows "according to", drop extra words, use objective pronouns, and use I + verb for your opinions.

Mnemonic: A-S-S - According to + Source + Statement.
If the source is you, swap "according to me" for I think / I believe.
Drop stray "as" or "of": they don't belong with "according to".

Practice: According to the report, sales rose. (A=According to, S=the report, S=sales rose.)

Similar mistakes: based on, as per, in accordance with

Choose these alternatives when the nuance requires it:

According to = attribution: reports or direct statements from a source. → According to the study, participants reported fatigue.
Based on = inference from evidence. → Based on the study, participants will likely report fatigue.
In accordance with = conformity to rules. → In accordance with company policy, contractors must be vetted.
As per = businessy and often avoidable; prefer clearer alternatives like per or according to when needed.

FAQ

Is "according to me" ever correct?

Casually you might hear "according to me," but in formal writing it sounds odd. Use I think, I believe, or In my opinion for clarity.

Do I need a comma after "According to the report"?

Yes, when that clause leads the sentence: According to the report, profits rose. If the phrase follows the main clause, you usually omit the comma: Profits rose according to the report. Many writers prefer Profits rose, according to the report for clarity.

Which is correct: "according to of" or "as according to"?

Neither. Do not pair extra prepositions or "as" with "according to." Use "According to the study" instead.

Should I use "me" or "I" after "according to"?

Use objective pronouns after "according to": me, him, her, them. Example: According to her, the plan is ready. If the idea is yours, rewrite: I think the plan is ready.

When is "based on" better than "according to"?

"Based on" is better when you draw a conclusion from evidence. "According to" attributes a quoted or reported statement. Example: Based on the data, we expect growth. According to the data, growth occurred last quarter.

Want a quick sentence check?

If a sentence feels off, rewrite it with a clear verb (says, states, recommends) or use I think for opinions. When you need a second look, paste the full sentence into a checker to flag extra words, pronoun case, and agreement issues quickly.