I am going to home – Is this sentence correct?

Last Updated on July 9, 2023 By Emma W. Thomas

No. The sentence ‘’I am going to home’’ is incorrect. In this phrase, the word ‘’home’’ is an adverb that indicates the destination of the verb ‘’go’’. Since ‘’home’’ is neither a direct object nor a preposition in this sentence, the correct phrase would be’’ I am going home’’. The word “to” is unnecessary in this context.

It would, however, be correct to say ”I am going to the home” or I am going to my home”. When you write it this way, it indicates that you are going to a specific place.

This article highlights why ‘’ I am going to home’’ is incorrect and whether to use ‘’I am’’ or ‘’am’’ We also look at the meaning of ‘I am going home’ and how to improve your grammar. Read on!

Why is the sentence” I am going to home” not correct?

The preposition ‘to’ in the sentence ”I am going to home” makes it incorrect. In this sentence, ‘home’ is an adverb of place, not a noun. Since adverbs of place do not require prepositions, the ‘to’ between ‘go’ and ‘home’ is grammatically wrong.  

But, when you use ‘home’ as a noun, it will be correct to add the preposition ‘’to’’. For example, you can say ‘’I am going to that home’’ or ‘’I am going to our home’’ In these examples, the word ‘home’ points to a particular location or place.

Is it ”I am going home,” or ”am going home”?

‘I am going home’ is the correct sentence. “I am” consists of a pronoun (I) and a verb (am). This pronoun is the first-person singular, and you can use it to start a sentence. On the other hand, you cannot begin a sentence with “am” since it is an auxiliary verb.

You can use ‘am’ at the beginning of an interrogative sentence. For example, it is correct to say, “am I beautiful?” or ‘am I not good to you?’.

What is the meaning of ‘I am going home’?

When you say ‘I am going home’, it means you are returning to where you live. It may also suggest your native land or a place you have been before. But, if you say, ‘I am going to go home,’ it implies you will go home later.

It is also acceptable to say ”I’m going home” instead of ”I am going home”. ‘I’m’ is a contraction of the words ‘I am’. You can use this contraction to shorten the sentence. The apostrophe replaces the letter ‘a’ from ‘am’. It is grammatically correct to use contractions in a sentence.

Before using contractions, it is essential to understand the following simple rules;

You can use contractions with;

a. pronouns and question words

Contractions are generally placed after pronouns such as you, I, he, she, and it. For example, it’s (it is), she’ll (she will), he’s (he is). You can also put contractions before question words. For example, what, who, or where, for example, who’s (who is) or what’s (what is).

b. auxiliary verbs

You can use contractions with auxiliary (helping) verbs. Examples of this verbs include ‘are’, ‘am’, and ‘is’. For example, ‘is not’ becomes ‘isn’t’.

c. Casual writing

It is advisable to avoid using multiple contractions in formal writing. If you do, it can make your sentences sound informal.

The following table gives examples of contractions.

Words	Contractions
I am	I’m
You are	You’re
Cannot	Can’t
Could not	Couldn’t
You will	You’ll

Is home an adverb, adjective, or noun?

A home can be a noun, an adverb, or an adjective depending on the context it is used. When used as a noun, the word ‘home’ refers to a place where an animal or a person lives. It can also mean a familiar or a native location.. Other examples of nouns are town, office, and countryside.

It is also possible to use ”home” as a countable noun. In this case, it refers to where animals or human beings live and people (not their relatives) take care of them—for example, a home for the aged or an orphanage.

You can also use ‘home’ as an adverb when describing something that occurs toward, to, or at home. When used as an adverb, ‘home’ refers to a place where one lives. For example, it is correct to say ‘’I went home late yesterday’’.

As an adjective, ‘’home’’ can refer to the address of where someone lives. It can also refer to things relating to one’s country. For example, it is correct to talk of home cooking or the company’s home office.

How can you improve your grammar?

Writing can be stressful at times unless you are sure of your grammar. But, it is possible to improve your writing and avoid unnecessary errors. The following simple tips are helpful;

1. Reading books and other materials.

You can habitually read books and other writings to improve your grammar. Doing this exposes you to new words and their correct usage. You can also come across some rules on grammar which will help you know what to write and omit. You will also learn the correct spelling of words that are sometimes difficult to write. 

2. Use of grammar tools

You can also make use of authentic grammar tools to improve your writing. One of the commonly used tools is grammarly.com. This editing tool helps check grammar and spelling mistakes and gives suggestions on how to fix them. There are both premium and free versions that you can install on your desktop or PC.

Other editing tools include LanguageTool and ProWritingAid.

3. Write more and test yourself.

You can sharpen your skills by writing more and testing yourself. If you write more and check your grammar using the correct tool, you will avoid common mistakes over time. You may also test your skills by taking online quizzes.

4. Proofread your work

Always be ready to proofread your work to note and correct any errors. If possible, you can read your piece aloud. Doing this will help you catch a glimpse of any minor or major mistakes. You can ask a friend or a colleague to listen as you read your work and point out grammatical errors.

5. Consult other experts

It is a good idea to seek help from those with more experience and expertise than you. If you are a student, ask for assistance from writing tutors and instructors. Ensure you consider and implement the feedback you get to strengthen your writing skills.  

You can use this feedback to create a grammar manual for future reference.

6. Use a grammar manual.

You can talk to a writing instructor or a librarian to get recommendations on the best grammar manual. Having a manual when writing is helpful as it will enable you to answer grammatical questions as they arise.

Frequently asked questions

What is the meaning of ‘are you at home’?

This question implies you want to know where the person is or whether they are back home. It shows that you are not sure of the person’s where about. You may call their phone to know if they have reached their home again.

ii.  How do you tell someone “I am home’’?

If you want someone to know you are in your home, you can say ‘I am at home’. But, you may want someone to know you are relaxed and comfortable in a particular place. To do this, you can say ”I feel at home”.

iii.  Why do you say ‘go home’ and not ‘go to home’?

In the above phrases, home acts as an adverb of place, not a noun. It is, therefore, not suitable to use the preposition ‘to’ with the adverb.

iv. How do you say going home from the office?

If you ask for permission to leave early, you can say, ‘may I leave’?. But, if you want to bid farewell to your colleagues, you can say ‘am heading home’, ‘I am all done’, or ‘bye’.

v. What do you mean by telling someone ‘feel at home’?

You will be telling someone to relax or feel comfortable in a place, setting, or group.

Key insights and takeaways

The correct sentence for ‘I am going to home’ is ‘I am going home’. You should avoid using the preposition ‘to’ with home since it is an adverb of place. It is also correct to say, ‘I’m going home’. ‘I’m’ is the contraction of ‘I am’, so it is proper to use it.

You can improve your grammar by following the tips mentioned in this article. We hope you this article helpful.

References:

https://www.quora.com/I-am-going-to-home-or-I-am-going-home-which-sentence-is-correct

https://forum.wordreference.com/threads/i%C2%B4m-going-to-home-i%C2%B4m-going-home.2764793/