Use of the word towards

Разница между TOWARD или TOWARDS

Прежде всего, расставим все точки над «i»: предлоги towards и toward равнозначны и взаимозаменяемы, но чаще всего форма towards употребляется в британском английском, а toward – в американском и канадском.

Употребление предлога TOWARD(S)

В первую очередь предлог toward(s) является предлогом движения (направления). Самое распространенное его значение – «по направлению к».

Мы также используем toward(s) в значении «близко к чему-то» (близко к какому-то месту или близко ко времени). Давайте посмотрим примеры:

Другое значение предлога toward(s) – «по отношению» к кому-либо или чему-либо. Он употребляется, если речь идет о чувствах, поведении людей по отношению друг к другу или к чему-то.

Если же ситуация подразумевает достижение чего-то значимого или покупку чего-либо, то мы также используем toward(s).

Попробуйте перевести текст на картинке. О чем говорит Мардж?

Разница между TO и TOWARD(S)

Предлоги to и toward(s) схожи. Как минимум они относятся к группе предлогов направления. Но тем не менее между ними есть существенные различия.

Как вы могли заметить, слово toward(s) состоит из частицы to- и суффикса -wards, который означает «зона, округ, место». В английском языке существует целый ряд слов с таким суффиксом: backward(s), forward, upward(s), downward(s). Особенно часто они употребляются в художественной литературе.

Что касается употребления to в английском языке, то я уже подробно разбирала его в этой статье. Так в чем же разница между to и toward(s)?

Предлог to отвечает на вопрос «Куда?» и переводится как «в, на, к». Он подразумевает под собой перемещение из точки А в точку Б, где точка Б является конечной целью движения.

Toward(s) отвечает на вопрос «В каком направлении?». Используя его, мы имеем в виду перемещение из точки А по направлению к точке Б, но точка Б либо не является конечной целью, либо она оказывается недостигнутой по какой-то причине. Объясню на примерах:

Вы встретите еще много предлогов направления и движения в английском языке, которые требуют повышенного внимания. Самостоятельно разобраться с ними не так-то просто, и лучше это делать в команде единомышленников и профессионального преподавателя. Записывайтесь прямо сейчас на мой комплексный курс английского Will Speak и начните достигать свою цель вместе с нами!

к, в направлении, по отношению к, по направлению к, навстречу, для, около

предлог

- к, по направлению к
- к, по отношению к
- для; с тем, чтобы
- приблизительно, около, примерно
- к, к моменту

Словосочетания

Примеры с переводом

Возможные однокоренные слова

toward  — к, в направлении, около, происходящий, послушный
towardly  — благоприятный, сулящий удачу, послушно, покорно

Main Toward vs. Towards Takeaways:

• When toward and towards are prepositions, they have the same meaning. They are interchangeable.
• The only difference between toward and towards as prepositions is regional.
• Toward is preferred in the U.S. and Canada, while Australia and the United Kingdom typically use towards.
• Both toward and towards mean “in the direction of.” They can also indicate relation or purpose.
• However, when an adjective, only toward (no ‘S’) is correct. This usage is rare.

Should you walk toward the museum or towards it? Have your feelings changed toward or towards your ex? As prepositions, both words are acceptable. The only difference between them is where each is commonly used.

What is the Difference Between Toward and Towards?

As a preposition, toward and towards are both correct. The only real difference between the two words is the letter ‘S’ at the end. Traditionally, toward (no ‘S’) is more common in the U.S. and Canada. Meanwhile, towards (with the ‘S’) is more common in Australia and the United Kingdom. Towards is also the preferred term for informal conversations in the U.S., especially in the south. Regardless of which spelling you choose, both words have the same meaning. However, when an adjective, only towardis correct.

What Does Toward Mean?

As a preposition, toward is a directional word. As a result, towardmeans in the direction of. Figuratively, it can mean in relation to or for the purpose of. Rarely, toward can be an adjective instead. In this case, toward references something that is going on or in progress. Toward and towards are interchangeable as prepositions.However, when toward is an adjective, don’t add an ‘s’ at the end of the word.

Is There Such a Word as Towards?

Yes, towards is a real word and it can be used interchangeably with toward. Towardsandtoward function as prepositions in sentences. They both refer to the direction of someone or something. Both terms could also mean close in location or time.

The only difference between towards and toward is that towards is commonly used in British English. Meanwhile, toward is favored in American English. Other than that, these two words hold the same meaning and function.

Is Towards Plural?

Towards (with an ‘S’) is not plural. Typically, nouns can be singular or plural. Since towards is usually a preposition (and rarely, an adjective), it can’t be plural. Therefore, the difference between toward vs. towards is not singular vs. plural. In fact, it’s not grammatical at all. Instead, the difference is regional. For example, toward without an ‘S’ is more North American but towards with an ‘S’ is more British. Both are correct and interchangeable.

How Do You Use Towards in a Sentence?

Here are examples of how to use towards in a sentence:

Since towards is acting as a preposition in all of the above examples, you could easily use toward instead.

Use toward ortowards in a sentence when you need to express direction, a relationship, or purpose. Remember that you always need an object with these words because toward and towards are prepositions.

Remember, your sentence formula should always be toward(s) + object. An object is a noun or pronoun affected by a preposition or verb.

Can You End a Sentence with Toward?

When toward is acting as a preposition, it’s best to avoid ending a sentence with toward. This is because, traditionally, it’s bad grammatical form to end a sentence on a preposition. That said, if you are writing a formal document, essay, or paper, avoid ending a sentence on a preposition. However, if you are speaking informally or writing an informal note, email, or text, it’s okay to break this “rule.” Conversely, when toward is acting as an adjective, it can (and usually does) come at the end of a sentence.

Toward and towards can be used interchangeably as prepositions. But as an adjective, only toward (no ‘S’) is correct.

What Does Geared Towards Mean?

When someone uses the phrase “geared towards,” they mean something is intended for a particular purpose or audience. You can also say “geared toward.”

Sometimes English speakers say “geared to” instead of “geared toward,” but that’s usually not grammatically correct.

What are Some Synonyms for Toward?

Synonyms for toward include “approaching,” “proceeding,” “via,” “facing,” and “against.” There are also some phrases you can replace toward with, including:

• in the direction of
• in the vicinity
• not quite
• on the road to
• in relation to
• close to
• shortly before

These phrases aren’t always exact substitutes for toward or towards. It depends on how you use the preposition in your sentence.

How Do You Say Toward?

You can pronounce toward like tord, tawrd, or tuh-word. Some people also say tword.

There is not an ‘r’ sound in the first part of toward, but some people mispronounce the word as tor-word. You may also hear it pronounced like tow-word with a long ‘o,’ but this is incorrect.

Think of the word toured to help yourself remember how to say toward. Though spelled differently, both words have similar pronunciations.

Remember: either version is acceptable when you’re using the word as a preposition. Stick with toward when you need an adjective.

Quick Toward vs. Towards Grammar Quiz

Read More: Grey Or Gray: One Color, Two Spellings

The words toward and towards can cause a bit of confusion and unease in people’s writing because not many of us are sure when to use which one. Are these just variants of the same word? Do they have different meanings or different functions within a sentence?

In today’s post, I want to address each of these questions so that you will never again have to second-guess yourself while writing either of these words. So, what is the difference between toward vs. towards?

What is the Difference Between Toward and Towards

Toward and towards are both prepositions, meaning in the direction of, in a position facing, with regard to; in relation to, or in furtherance or partial fulfillment of.

For example,

• We are driving toward the mall.
• His was sitting with his back was towards me, so I couldn’t see his face.
• I am optimistic toward the newly elected president.
• We are saving our money to go towards spring break.

You’re probably still wondering, “Okay, when do I know which one to use?”

The answer to that question is simple: the difference between toward and towards is entirely regional preference. There is no demonstrable difference of sense or function between them, meaning both words can be used interchangeably.

When to Use Toward

Even though the only thing separating these two words is a dialectal difference, it is still important to keep your audience in mind when picking which word to use and when.

Toward (without the –s) is the preferred choice in American English. If you find yourself writing to an American audience in an American newspaper or magazine, toward is the best spelling to use. The AP Stylebook and The Chicago Manual of Style both advise American English writers to use toward.

Canadian English speakers also generally use toward without the –s at a higher rate than towards.

When to Use Towards

Towards (with the –s) is the preferred choice in British English and Australian English. The popular British usage guide Fowler’s estimates the ratio to be 9:1 in favor of towards vs. toward. Still, both words are used frequently in each community, but there is a clear and identifiable preference for one over the other in each region.

• American writers prefer toward.
• British English writers prefer towards.

In his book Garner’s Modern English Usage, Bryan Garner states that toward has been preferred in American English since around the year 1900. In British English, towards has always been the predominant form.

Remember the Difference

A good way to remember which one of these words to use and when is that toward with no –s is American. American also has no –s in it.

Towards with an –s is British, and British has an –s in it.

Other Directional Words

This same basic convention applies to other directional words as well. For example, American writers prefer upward, while British writers prefer upwards. The same is true for words like downward, forward, and backward, and also afterward.

Summary

Even though towards vs. toward can be used interchangeably, it’s still important to keep your audience in mind while writing them.

Toward is the preferred American form.

Towards is the preferred British form.