Confusing words explained
“thru” vs “through” — What’s the Difference?
Informal spelling of through; modern shorthand sometimes used in texting.
Key takeaway
Quick Difference: thru vs through
Informal spelling of through; modern shorthand sometimes used in texting.
thru vs through Side-by-Side Comparison
Meaning of thru
Meaning of through
Preposition indicating movement or position from one side of something to the other.
Moving in one side and out the other; traveling across or inside something.
Use to show passage, movement, or the means of doing something. 'Through practice, you improve.'
- I walked through the park on my way to school.
- The tunnel goes through the mountain.
How to Remember the Difference
Through for typed work and Texts that matter; thru for signs and chat.
Common Mistakes with thru and through
Mistake with through
Wrong: I walked through to the store.
Correct: I walked to the store.
Through means passage within; 'to' is correct for destination showing intent.
Mistake with through
Wrong: She looked through at him.
Correct: She looked at him.
Look through means examine contents; look at means direct gaze. 'At' is correct here.
Practice Quiz: thru or through?
Choose the word that best completes each real example sentence.
Question 1
I walked _____ the park on my way to school.
Question 2
The tunnel goes _____ the mountain.
Question 3
She read _____ the entire document carefully before signing.
Pick at least one answer, then press Check answers to see how you did.
You scored 0 out of 3
Frequently Asked Questions About thru vs through
What’s the difference between “thru” and “through”?
Informal spelling of through; modern shorthand sometimes used in texting.
When should I use “through”?
Use to show passage, movement, or the means of doing something. 'Through practice, you improve.'
How can I remember thru vs through?
Through for typed work and Texts that matter; thru for signs and chat.
Is it “thru” or “through” in example sentences?
Use the quiz above to test the pair with real example sentences from the available word data.