Erin Posted May 29, 2002 Share Posted May 29, 2002 But Erin, can you please tell me what is the difference between "toward" and "towards"? Raghuveer. Hello, guys! This is a question that so many people ask me. It's important to know because you might see a question with toward in it. This type of question therefore indirectly tests you on this knowledge. There is no difference (at least in meaning). Same with all those other words that end in ward--forward, backward, upward, northward, etc. The consensus among grammarians and people who love English is that using these words without the s is slightly more formal than using these words with the s. You will notice in all ETS publications, these words appear without the s. Again, the reason you should know this is that many people think that the word should be used with the s and that it's incorrect without the s. This confusion could cost you a point on the test!! The bottom line: On the TOEFL both forms are acceptable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raghuveer_v Posted May 31, 2002 Share Posted May 31, 2002 Thanks a lot Erin! :) Raghuveer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanxuan Posted February 26, 2004 Share Posted February 26, 2004 Thank you so much Erin !!!:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sanjana_1024 Posted April 6, 2005 Share Posted April 6, 2005 Hello, guys! This is a question that so many people ask me. It's important to know because you might see a question with toward in it. This type of question therefore indirectly tests you on this knowledge. There is no difference (at least in meaning). Same with all those other words that end in ward--forward, backward, upward, northward, etc. The consensus among grammarians and people who love English is that using these words without the s is slightly more formal than using these words with the s. You will notice in all ETS publications, these words appear without the s. Again, the reason you should know this is that many people think that the word should be used with the s and that it's incorrect without the s. This confusion could cost you a point on the test!! The bottom line: On the TOEFL both forms are acceptable. phewww.. i wud have lost a point if had not read this old post... i'm just gonna dig awayy:tup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scheng75 Posted April 14, 2005 Share Posted April 14, 2005 Wow, 20+ years in the US and I never knew that BOTH are correct! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dreamz Posted May 14, 2005 Share Posted May 14, 2005 Thanks Erin! You are superb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imnotready Posted August 10, 2008 Share Posted August 10, 2008 Usage Note: Some critics have tried to discern a semantic distinction between toward and towards, but the difference is entirely dialectal. Toward is more common in American English; towards is the predominant form in British English. taken from the American Heritage Dictionary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunirs Posted December 24, 2008 Share Posted December 24, 2008 Thanks Erin u r doing a great job Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cambridgedove Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 There is no difference (at least in meaning). Same with all those other words that end in ward--forward, backward, upward, northward, etc. The consensus among grammarians and people who love English is that using these words without the s is slightly more formal than using these words with the s. You will notice in all ETS publications, these words appear without the s. Again, the reason you should know this is that many people think that the word should be used with the s and that it's incorrect without the s. This confusion could cost you a point on the test!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.