Toward or Towards?

Should I write toward or towards?

The prepositions toward and towards are interchangeable. (There is a tendency to use toward in the US and Canada, and a slight preference for towards in the UK and Australia.)

Toward or Towards?

The prepositions toward and towards are interchangeable.

Toward in the US and Canada. Towards in the UK and Australia

There is a tendency to use toward in the US and Canada, and a slight preference for towards in the UK and Australia.

Also of note, the use of towards is far more common than toward in literature (evidence), but toward has been gaining ground on towards since the 1990s.

Choose whichever one you like, but be consistent.

Remember, toward and towards are interchangeable, regardless of where you live. You are safe to use whichever one you think sounds best. The only rule is to be consistent. For example, if you opt for toward, then stick with it throughout your document.

Examples of Toward and Towards

The examples below show the preferences for toward and towards according to region:

The Difference between To and Towards

The words toward and towards primarily mean in the direction of. They contrast with to, which implies an intent to reach the place named. For example:

A Quick Test



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See Also

What are prepositions? List of easily confused words