Grammar Mishaps: Toward vs. Towards
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What is the difference between toward and towards?
I was recently sent an email asking if I knew the difference between toward and towards. From what I was taught and can gather, the only distinction between the two is that towards is traditionally used in British English and toward is more traditionally used in American English. The two words are both correct and can be used interchangeably. The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary agrees.
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A bit more clarification
I have heard that towards refers to direction where toward reflects "with respect to" or "on the verge of".
I walked towards the car.
We are working toward a common goal.
In common usage, I think that they are more used interchangeably.
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Any thoughts, clarifications or questions?
oops forgot my example,i look towards your next posting for further guidance. rather than i look forward to your next posting for further guidance.....jimmy
Hi Jimmy. In the context you are using, the correct usage would be, "I look forward to your next posting". You used "further" correctly too! Did you see my hub on further vs. farther? http://hubpages.com/hub/Grammar_Mishaps__Farther_v
Thanks for the comments! Robin
This is an interesting one. I would tend towards using towards with the "s" myself, which gives weight to idea that it is more common in British English. But I would agree that in common usage they are probably used interchangeably.
Thanks for the British English reinforcement, StuartJ! It is always interesting to hear your take.
Personally, I prefer "toward" to "towards" in formal writing, mostly because an added "s" is often indicative of sloppy diction (e.g. "All's you can do is wait.").
If I were to suggest "towards" for use, it would be to indicate direction, mostly because I've seen and heard it in that capacity more often.
Thanks for the comment, Jonathon. I appreciate it!
I use toward rather than towards - but the difference between UK and US usage is a nightmare - is gotten really used in US english - in UK usage is very slangy but I see it quite a lot on the web
For sure, what i learned and searched in the books and asked other colleaqes the are used to show the same idea only with some narrow and slight difference, which is the usage of GB and US English.
Abdul Khalil Hassani
From Kabul Afghanistan
Hi there! What does subsufficient mean?
I was born and raised in Manila and am now based in the US. I've always been bilingual since I was little and always knew that the english we were speaking was American English but for some reason I would always say "towards". It is good to know that both are correct.
Would the same be true with upward vs. upwards?
Is the following sentence correctly written "They keep running towards the lake'
I think so. :) Just add a period.
@Mike: upward is used as an adjective (e.g. upward mobility), upwards is not.
I am glad, atleast 'towards' is not plural and, we can use it interchagably. Had it been plural, it would have made life difficult.
I am glad, atleast 'towards' is not plural and, we can use it interchagably. Had it been plural, it would have made life difficult.
I am glad, atleast 'towards' is not plural and, we can use it interchagably. Had it been plural, it would have made life difficult.
But "towards" never occurs in the King James Bible, printed in England in 1611, and "toward" never occurs in the Book of Mormon, printed in New York in 1830 (with two exceptions, one quote from the Bible and one changed after the 1830 ed.). Clearly "toward" is the earlier form of the word, but "towards" developed in England, and both forms made their way across the Atlantic.
worse vs worser
IS A GOOD ONE TOO!
Sorry, USA!!!USA!!!USA!!...
"Worser" is not a word. "Worse" is already the superlative form of "bad," so there's no where to go with it...
Editing myself:
Actually "worse" is the comparative form; "worst" is superlative.
While toward and towards technically can be used interchangeably, the use of towards 'sounds' lower class or uneducated. I wish that didn't sound so elitist; but, many feel this way.
I agree with uppity. I use "toward" exclusively and was taught (many years ago) that "towards" is incorrect. How they came to be used and accepted interchangably is indicative of our language's downward trend to common rather than formal usage.
I'm British and live in the USA. Americans incorrectly use "toward" rather than "towards". Americanised English can be amusing, I still refuse to refer to "trousers" as "pants" and "Jelly" as "Jell-o" though :-)
If you've got a journalism background like I do, you're a "toward" person. AP Style says always use "toward" and not "towards."
Do you have a hub on "who" vs "whom"?
I have been curious about this too and that is how I ended up here. I was looking for which of it to use in writings or rather when to use 'toward' and when to use 'towards.'
I'd have to agree with the comment from Jonathon, that the added s sounds like some sort of rural colloqualism (says the small-town American). As far as the British perspective on it goes, I put that one in the same category as "learnt", which is more of an ingrained irregular conjugation than the more American "learned".
wow! this is one educational series of exchanges.. the Internet does provide an answer to many questions--on grammar included.. =)
![Bad grammar makes me [sic]](http://s3.hubimg.com/u/595850_50.jpg "Bad grammar makes me [sic]")
jimmythejock says:
3 years ago
Although Brittish, English is not my strong point.
could i look towards your next posting? or would i have to look forward to your next posting.....jimmy