Small diction question: towards

As far as I know there's no difference. Just use whichever suits the style of the piece. Or your ear.

It's not wrong to use "towards." Sounds better to me, too. But all of my publishers have house styles that specify "toward" should be used. I believe "toward" is more common among Americans.

ETA: http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/toward-versus-towards

Toward and towards mean precisely the same thing. I remember reading somewhere that in written English, "towards" is more common in the UK, while "toward" is more common in the US. But neither is technically wrong, so I'd pick a style and be consistent. I've also read somewhere that in spoken English, people on both sides of the pond say "towards" a fair amount, so if you're American but shooting for a more informal voice that sounds like the pov character's speech, you probably could justify using "towards."

Of course, individual editors might have their own preferences. I doubt it's a deal breaker either way.

Except for a hard-and-fast publishing house decree, consistency is the key. But it does raise questions:

If we write toward, do we also write forward, backward, upward, and downward?

If we write towards, do we then write forwards, backwards, upwards, and downwards?

In the same vein, what about anyway vs anyways? Been wondering this for a while.

That's different. Anyway is not directional, usually. So anyways just sounds wrong to my ear. When it is directional it's two seperate words. Any way. This way, that way, any way.

As for towards.... I think it sometimes comes down to whether the next word starts with a vowel. Toward me, toward her, towards it.

I always use "towards," even though I'm American. I was told by an editor friend that "towards" is more commonly UK, and "toward" is American, generally speaking. Just be consistent, whichever one you choose.

NMEvans said:

In the same vein, what about anyway vs anyways? Been wondering this for a while.

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"anyways" is generally considered incorrect, so I don't use it in writing. However, people commonly say "anyways" where I live.

I remember an editor once had me change "towards" to "toward" because the latter spelling was more conventional for that publisher's US market. They mentioned at the time that the "-ward" form of ending in any of those kind of directional words -- backward, forward, upward, downward etc. -- was the preferred US spelling, but both versions are technically correct grammarwise.

I'd accept "anyways" in a character's dialogue, because it's pretty common vernacular. I'd consider it incorrect if it was outside dialogue though.

Chase said:

Except for a hard-and-fast publishing house decree, consistency is the key. But it does raise questions:

If we write toward, do we also write forward, backward, upward, and downward?

If we write towards, do we then write forwards, backwards, upwards, and downwards?

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Good question. I automatically drop the s from all these, but maybe some do not.

Jamesaritchie said:

I automatically drop the s from all these, but maybe some do not.

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For my writing, me, too. The two US editors-in-chief I edit for also demand the "s" be dropped. For my independent clients, I urge consistency: all "s" endings or get their big esses outta there.

NMEvans said:

In the same vein, what about anyway vs anyways? Been wondering this for a while.

Click to expand...

Anyway and anyways tend to be used interchangeably these days, but "anyway" is considered more correct, according to American Heritage, while "anyways" is informal or colloquial/regional. It originally was derived from "anywise" and meant "every which way It goes back to the 13th century, however.

People said it in Southern CA when I was growing up, and I was somewhat surprised to encounter the level of rancor it attracts in some circles (some people seem to think it's a new thing, never mind I'm no spring chicken, and the word is actually very old). I've even run across some people say that they immediately think someone is stupid and illiterate if they say "anyways," even in casual conversation, which means there are a disproportionately large number of such where I grew up, never mind what census data might say.

Some people will find any excuse to be nasty to others, I guess.

I wouldn't use "anyways" in formal writing, but I might in dialog or an immersive "in pov" narrative if it's what the pov character would say.

Good info here! I say "anyways" all the time in my speech and never knew whether it was regional or technically correct. Thank you all

Chase said:

I urge consistency: all "s" endings or get their big esses outta there.

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That's good. Very good.

I learned to drop that s in Journalism 101. Space is incredibly important in newspaper work because a column inch is unforgiving. Since these words all mean the same thing without the s, editors at newspapers say drop it, and they mean it. They hammered it into our heads early on, and hammered so hard I don't think I could type that s at gunpoint.