View source for Toward - towards

Writers sometimes  ask "what is the difference between the two forms of the [[preposition]] '''toward''' and '''towards''' (with the '-s')?" The answer is in essence that writers of British English prefer '''towards''' for the [[preposition]], while writers of American English prefer '''toward'''. For both varieties, the form '''toward''' is used for the [[adjective]] (see also [[Toward (adjective)]]).

::[[Garner (2000)]] gives some advice that may help, under the sub-heading '''Misused for ''to''''': "''Toward'' implies movement. It shouldn't be used when the sentence would be served by ''to'' or ''against'' - e.g.: "The parks and recreation department has no objections <s>''toward''</s> [read ''to''] selling the West Suffield School" (''Hartford Courant''). Note, however, the academic  usage of describing or titling an essay or paper as being 'Notes '''towards''' [or sometimes simply '''Towards'''] a definition of ... [a subject]', meaning 'a contribution towards study [etc]', or 'a starting-point, or staging post, along a long road of scholarly discovery'.


[[Category:etymology]]
[[Category:pronunciation]]
[[category:AmE]]
[[Category:Usage]]
[[Category:Usage errors]]
[[Category:Academic English]]
[[Category:Academic culture]]