The Problem

"In order to" is one of the most common filler phrases in English writing. It appears in emails, reports, essays, and legal documents millions of times a day. And in nearly every case, the word "to" alone does the same job.

Compare: "In order to succeed, you need to practice." vs. "To succeed, you need to practice." The meaning is identical. The second version is tighter by two words.

Why Writers Use It

There are two main reasons. First, "in order to" sounds more formal and substantial. Writers reach for it unconsciously when they want their prose to feel weighty or professional. Second, it fills a rhythmic gap. In speech, "in order to" provides a brief runway before the main point, giving the listener a moment to prepare.

Neither reason justifies keeping it in polished writing. Formality should come from precision, not padding. And rhythm can be achieved through sentence structure, not filler.

The Test

Take any sentence containing "in order to" and delete "in order." Read the sentence again. If the meaning is unchanged, and it almost always is, leave it out.

  • "She studied hard in order to pass the exam." → "She studied hard to pass the exam."
  • "We need to hire two more people in order to meet the deadline." → "We need to hire two more people to meet the deadline."
  • "In order to understand the problem, we reviewed the data." → "To understand the problem, we reviewed the data."

Every one of these revisions is clearer and more direct.

The Rare Exception

There is one scenario where "in order to" earns its place: when "to" alone could be misread as part of an infinitive phrase rather than as expressing purpose. For example: "She rearranged her schedule to meet him to discuss the proposal." Here, the chain of "to" phrases is confusing. "She rearranged her schedule in order to meet him to discuss the proposal" adds clarity by signaling that the first "to" expresses purpose.

These cases are uncommon. In the vast majority of sentences, "to" is enough.

A Broader Lesson

"In order to" is just one example of a larger habit: using three words where one will do. Other offenders include "due to the fact that" (use "because"), "at this point in time" (use "now"), and "in the event that" (use "if"). Cutting filler phrases is one of the fastest ways to make your writing sharper. Start with "in order to" and work outward from there.