Toward/towards?

Colin L

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 17, 2011
Messages
62
Reaction score
1
Website
www.cplwriting.com
I've been thinking about this in my own writing recently. Which of these would be correct? For example,

He looked towards the doorway.

He looked toward the doorway.

I've heard both used in conversation, so I don't know which is the right usage, or if it's just a matter of preference. I suppose the same could be said for backward/backwards.

Thanks!
 

CaroGirl

Living the dream
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 27, 2006
Messages
8,368
Reaction score
2,327
Location
Bookstores
They can both be right, depending on where you are. I believe it's a regional thing between the UK and North America.
 

Lil

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 23, 2011
Messages
867
Reaction score
155
Location
New York
I'm pretty sure toward is US and towards is UK, but I'm not positive.
 

Terie

Writer is as Writer does
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 18, 2008
Messages
4,151
Reaction score
951
Location
Manchester, UK
Website
www.teriegarrison.com
I'm pretty sure toward is US and towards is UK, but I'm not positive.

Yes. Both are correct in both places, but this is the dominant usage.

The Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (US) has a listing for 'toward' whose definition mentions the variant 'towards', but doesn't list 'towards' on its own.

The Concise Oxford Dictionary (UK) has separate listings for both. It specifies 'toward' as a variant of 'towards', and in the definition of 'towards', it says that 'toward' is chiefly a North American variant.

When I'm writing for a UK target audience, I use 'towards', and when I'm writing for a US target audience, I use 'toward'.

ETA: Of course, for privileged speech (dialogue or first-person narrative), you should use whichever version the character would say. :)
 
Last edited:

PeterL

Sockpuppet
Banned
Joined
Aug 17, 2009
Messages
1,129
Reaction score
91
It used to be very much a regional thing, but both have become accepted by people in the other region. Now there are poeple in the U.S. who think of "toward" as an error or a Britishism, and Brits who think that "towards" is the wrong one. We should get back to flogging students until they use language correctly.
 

TheIT

Infuriatingly Theoretical
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 10, 2005
Messages
6,432
Reaction score
1,343
Location
Silicon Valley
Whichever form you choose, make sure you stick with it. I hadn't realized I had a combination of "toward" and "towards" in the same manuscript until a beta reader pointed it out to me. Be consistent.
 

Gina Blechman

Registered
Joined
Mar 4, 2011
Messages
15
Reaction score
0
I had an argument about this the other day. Good to know that both sides were right. Thanks!
 

RIFF

Banned
Joined
Mar 10, 2011
Messages
126
Reaction score
15
Location
America
This is one gives me trouble. Moving toward correcting this... moving towards a definitive answer... one for the pedants.
 

Ken House

Registered
Joined
Mar 12, 2011
Messages
18
Reaction score
0
Location
Missouri
I was always under the impression that either one is acceptable. I've been corrected on it due to the regional distinction, but it's really just nitpicking. Like TheIt said, just be consistent.