Meaning & use
intro to
Last updated
Meaning
phrasefixed phraseinformal
A short way to say 'introduction to': a first course or book that teaches the basics of a subject.
Grammar: Used before a noun: an intro to psychology. It is not used as a verb.
Patterns
- intro to something
She signed up for an intro to biology class.
This video is a great intro to coding for beginners.
I bought an intro to French cookbook.
Common combinations
- intro to psychology
- He is taking intro to psychology this semester.
- intro to programming
- The online course is called Intro to Programming.
- intro to art
- My sister teaches intro to art at the community center.
Synonyms and how they differ
- introduction
- More formal and complete; use it in academic writing.
- basics
- Focuses on the simple, first things you learn, not the course itself.
- primer
- A book that gives basic information; more formal than 'intro to'.
Word family
- introduction noun
- The full, formal word for the beginning part or a first course.
- introductory adjective
- Describing something that comes at the beginning, like an introductory offer.
Commonly confused: intro to or into?
intro to vs into
Do not confuse 'intro to' with 'into' (going inside). 'Intro to' has an extra 'r' and means introduction.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'intro to' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Intro to' is a fixed phrase meaning 'introduction to' and is used before a noun, as in 'intro to statistics course.' The other options confuse it with 'into' (going inside) or use it as a verb, which is wrong.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “intro to”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.