missing hyphen in 'to do'

Use "to-do" (hyphen) for a noun meaning a task. Use "to do" (two words) for the infinitive verb phrase.

Short rules, compact wrong/right pairs for work, school, and casual contexts, and copy-ready rewrites you can paste into messages or notes.

Quick answer

Hyphenate when the phrase names a thing (a to-do, the to-do list). Keep two words when it expresses an action (to do something). Plural noun: to-dos.

Noun: I have a to-do / I have to-dos.
Verb: I need to do my homework (no hyphen).
Simple test: If you can add a/an/the or make it plural, treat it as a noun and hyphenate.

Core explanation: noun vs. verb

"to-do" (hyphen) = a task or item. "to do" (two words) = the infinitive verb phrase.

If the phrase names something you can point to-"a to-do," "the to-do"-hyphenate. If it describes an action-"to do the laundry"-keep two words.

Noun (hyphen): a to-do, the to-do list, several to-dos
Verb (no hyphen): to do the laundry, to do well, to do someone a favor

Wrong: I have a lot of todos for today.
Right: I have a lot of to-dos for today.
Wrong: I need todo my homework.
Right: I need to do my homework.

Hyphenation and pluralization (quick rules)

Form the plural by adding -s after the hyphen: to-dos. Avoid todos (looks like Spanish) and to-do's (incorrect apostrophe for plural).

For possessives, a rewrite often reads better: "the deadline for the to-do" instead of "the to-do's deadline."

Plural noun: to-do → to-dos (preferred)
Avoid: todo (English usage), todos (Spanish plural), to-do's (apostrophe-for-plural error)
Possessive: prefer "the owner of the to-do" or "the to-do's owner" only when needed

Wrong: All my todos are due Friday.
Right: All my to-dos are due Friday.
Work - Wrong: I wrote all the to-do's on the whiteboard.
Work - Right: I wrote all the to-dos on the whiteboard.

Spacing and capitalization: small but visible

A hyphenated to-do has no spaces around the hyphen. Capitalize normally at the start of a sentence or in headings: "To-do" or "To-Do List" depending on style.

"To-do list" is the clear noun phrase. Writing "to do list" can read as an instruction and confuse readers.

Correct: to-do list / To-Do List (pick a style)
Incorrect: to do list (verb confusion), todo list (looks foreign or like a code name)
UI tip: choose one label (To-Do, To-Dos, or Tasks) and use it consistently

Work - Wrong: Open the todo list to find the task.
Work - Right: Open the to-do list to find the task.
Casual - Wrong: To do list - chores for today.
Casual - Right: To-do list - chores for today.

Grammar: three quick tests to apply

Run these simple checks. If any answer points to a noun, hyphenate.

Use them while proofreading emails, assignments, or UI labels.

Article test: Can you naturally say "a to-do" or "the to-do"? If yes → noun → hyphenate.
Plural test: Does "to-dos" make sense in context? If yes → hyphenate.
Syntactic test: Is the phrase naming an item or starting an action? Naming → hyphenate; action → no hyphen.

Work - Wrong: Please update the project todos before the meeting.
Work - Right: Please update the project to-dos before the meeting.
School - Wrong: The students had many todos due next week.
School - Right: The students had many to-dos due next week.
Casual - Wrong: I need todo groceries and laundry.
Casual - Right: I need to do groceries and laundry.

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

Match tone to audience. Formal writing benefits from hyphenated nouns for clarity. Product copy should pick a label and stick with it. Casual chat accepts slight variants, but hyphenation reduces confusion.

Formal/report: use to-do / to-dos for unambiguous nouns
Product/UI: be consistent (To-Do, To-Dos, or Tasks)
Casual: hyphenate when you mean list items to avoid ambiguity

Work - Wrong: Our app stores todos under the Tasks tab.
Work - Right: Our app stores to-dos under the Tasks tab.
School - Wrong: Homework todos are due Thursday.
School - Right: Homework to-dos are due Thursday.
Casual - Wrong: Just got a long todo list-ugh.
Casual - Right: Just got a long to-do list-ugh.

Try your own sentence

Test the whole sentence, not just the phrase. Context usually makes the correct form obvious.

Rewrite help: ready-to-use fixes

Prefer clear rewrites that avoid awkward possessives or mixed noun/verb forms.

When plural noun: replace "todos" → "to-dos".
When showing possession: prefer "the deadline for the to-do" over "the to-do's deadline".
When a sentence mixes noun and verb forms: convert to a clearer verb or noun phrase.

Rewrite:
Original: I have a lot of todos for today. → I have a lot of to-dos for today.
Rewrite:
Original: Todo the survey by Monday. → Complete the survey by Monday.
Rewrite:
Original: She left a todo list on my desk. → She left a to-do list on my desk.
Rewrite:
Original: The to-do's owner is out. → The owner of the to-do is out.

Examples: compact wrong/right pairs you can copy

Scan for "todo" and "todos" and replace with the correct sentence below when appropriate.

Work - Wrong: Please complete your todos by Friday.
Work - Right: Please complete your to-dos by Friday.
Work - Wrong: Our project has many todo items.
Work - Right: Our project has many to-do items.
Work - Wrong: She sent a list of todos in the meeting notes.
Work - Right: She sent a list of to-dos in the meeting notes.
School - Wrong: I have a lot of todos to finish before graduation.
School - Right: I have a lot of to-dos to finish before graduation.
School - Wrong: The teacher wrote the todo list on the board.
School - Right: The teacher wrote the to-do list on the board.
School - Wrong: Turn in your todos by Monday.
School - Right: Turn in your to-dos by Monday.
Casual - Wrong: My weekend is full of todos.
Casual - Right: My weekend is full of to-dos.
Casual - Wrong: I need todo things around the house.
Casual - Right: I need to do things around the house.
Casual - Wrong: Got a long todo list.
Casual - Right: Got a long to-do list.

Memory trick and quick checklist

Mnemonic: If you can naturally say "a to-do," hyphenate. That single thought resolves most cases fast.

Checklist: (1) Article? (2) Plural? (3) Action vs. name?

Article test: "a to-do" → noun → hyphenate.
Plural test: "to-dos" → noun plural → hyphenate.
Action test: "to do X" → verb phrase → no hyphen.

Usage: "I have a to-do" = correct noun form.
Usage: "I have to do that" = verb phrase, no hyphen.

Similar mistakes and related compounds

Many verb+noun pairs follow the same pattern: hyphenate for noun/adjective forms, keep two words for verbs.

follow up (verb) vs. follow-up (noun/adjective)
check in (verb) vs. check-in (noun/adjective)
sign up (verb) vs. sign-up (noun/adjective)
If you see "todo" in copy, change to "to-do" or "to do" depending on its role in the sentence

Wrong: We need to follow-up on that issue.
Right: We need to follow up on that issue.
Wrong: Schedule a follow up.
Right: Schedule a follow-up.

FAQ

Is "todo" a word in English?

Not in standard English prose. "Todo" appears in Spanish and in code or project names. Use "to-do" for the noun and "to do" for the verb.

How do I pluralize to-do?

Use to-dos. Don't use an apostrophe for plurals (avoid to-do's); reserve apostrophes for possessives or, better, rewrite the phrase.

When should I hyphenate "to-do" in product copy or UI labels?

Hyphenating (To-Do, To-Dos) clarifies meaning. If your style guide omits the hyphen, stay consistent and ensure labels remain clear to all readers.

Is "to do" ever hyphenated?

Only when it functions as a noun ("to-do") or part of a compound adjective ("to-do list"). As the infinitive verb phrase, it stays two words.

Which is correct: "to-do's" or "to-dos"?

to-dos is the preferred plural. Use an apostrophe only for true possessives or choose a rewrite to avoid awkward constructions.

Quick checklist before you send

Run the three tests (article, plural, action). If you're still unsure, paste the sentence into your editor's grammar checker or rephrase for clarity-often the simplest rewrite is the clearest fix.