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Reader question: Please explain this sentence, particularly “to-do list”: “This book is a best seller, another to-do list item for next year.” My comments: Ever heard of New Year’s resolutions? December. It’s that time of year, when people begin to compile a list of things they’ll do in the New Year, i.e. next year, 2017. New Year’s resolutions are so-called because it’s a list of things (items) you RESOLUTELY promise yourself that you will accomplish. New Year’s resolutions are a form of to-do list. Literally, a to-do list is a list of items you are going TO DO. It’s as simple as that. Similarly, we have a wish list (of things we WISH to do) and also, say, a task list (of things we say we MUST do). On the wish list, for example, we may declare that we want to visit 100 countries in the world. Put that on the bucket list – a list of things we want to do before we die – because that’s a big wish, something, in fact, unlikely to happen. On the task list for tomorrow, on the other hand, if one says they must see the doctor in the morning at 9:30, the appointed time, then it is something that’s probably going to happen. Anyways, a to-do list is just a list of things you say you’re going to do some time in future. In our example, reading the said best seller is in the plan. Some time next year, the speaker will hopefully find the time to read it. | 
