Thread: toward(s), forward(s), backward(s), etc

From what I've read, they are both generally considered correct and acceptable. Maybe British English tends toward(s) putting the 's' on the end where American doesn't.

I'm American, and even though I grew up adding the 's' to all of them, I've become aware of it and am working on not adding it. But sometimes I feel conflicted.

My question: which do you use, which do you recommend using, why, and what country are you from?

Forward tells you where it is, Forwards tells you which way you are going when you are going Forward - It's quite simple really... I speak English and I live nowhere witty

Originally Posted by Bloggsworth

Forward tells you where it is, Forwards tells you which way you are going when you are going Forward - It's quite simple really... I speak English and I live nowhere witty

Wait, I'm confused... going backwards for a second to what you just wrote -- or is it backward -- so forwards tells you which way you are going when you are going forward? Or which way you are going when you are going forwards?

I'm looking forward to someone clearing this up (that one I feel good about).

I think toward(s) is the most ambiguous one, though.

Originally Posted by j.w.olson

Wait, I'm confused... going backwards for a second to what you just wrote -- or is it backward -- so forwards tells you which way you are going when you are going forward? Or which way you are going when you are going forwards?

I'm looking forward to someone clearing this up (that one I feel good about).

I think toward(s) is the most ambiguous one, though.

Forward is a noun, an adverb and an adjective.

"Where is the chain locker on this ship?"

"Forward"

"How do I get there?"

"You get there by moving forwards"

"Am I going in the right direction?"

"Yes, you are now moving forward, just make sure you don't take a backward step and end up going backwards when you are supposed to be going toward the locker."

I agree that the words have many uses. Thing is, let's look at that last sentence of yours, specifically the part where you say, "going toward the locker." When I was younger I would have written "going towards the locker." I've asked various professors, and I've looked into various resources online -- and most have told me that both are acceptable. Perhaps the same is not true with forward(s) and backward(s) and I've merely clouded the issue by including them. Is toward(s) different?

Yeats uses the word "towards" in the title here: The Second Coming (Slouching towards Bethlehem)

Bukowski, in the same grammatical set-up, used "toward" in this title: Amazon.com: Slouching Toward Nirvana: New Poems (9780060577032): Charles Bukowski: Books

I'm not looking for a definitive answer on which is correct, because they both are. If we narrow the discussion to simply the word "toward(s)", which form do you use? Do you slouch toward something or do you slouch towards something?

It's English, of course both are acceptable, we are not over precious about the language, we have no equivalent of the Acadamie Francais.

If you feel towards works better for you, I'm not going to say "up with that I will not put..."

Personal preference is to not use the 's' on them.

It seems awkward.

I am British and I have always been confused writing toward(s).

He walked towards the women.

It was beyond the wall; toward the back of the garden.

Beyond the wall, towards the back.

I give up......whatever