A Ways To Go

What I hear and use is, "We have a way to go."

I think "a ways to go," is akin to saying, "Anyways" when there is no such word in correct usage; it should be, "anyway."

Example, and this would all be in casual speech:

Speaker 1:

I think we still have quite a way to go to determine the total extent of the damage caused by the BP oil spill.

Speaker 2:

curiouscatOne of my friends likes using this term "a ways to go". Does anyone know why this is accepted usage since a singular and plural word is used one right after the other?

It is an expression I use - ways (in the plural) means "distance"

I have a ways to go - means that I have quite some distance to travel before I reach the destination.

You'll note in that link they show "ways" as a suffix as to "always" , etc.

The expression, to be correct, should be, "We have a way to go." No matter what the distance is, it is only one "way."

Ways is heard colloquially in the U.S. in some areas, and among uneducated speakers, as is, "Anyways", as somewhat of a transitional word from any subject to another, or to conclude a c

I see what you're saying Sam1947. "We still have quite a way to go" sounds like a good alternative. I am guilty of saying "Anyways" sometimes but usually said during casual conversations.

There's also an idiomatic phrase "Way to go!" which means something like "Well done!" or "Nice work!".

Do try to avoid that, Cat, as it is fingernails on a chalkboard to persons who know better and does tend to make one appear not as educated as one might be. Just use "anyway," which is also casual, but correct.

Thank you for your response Akogeccastars. If it's an expression then I guess whoever came up with that line had some poetic license to do so.

sam1947Ways is heard colloquially in the U.S. in some areas, and among uneducated speakers

Not at all. The phrase "a ways" is used in newscasts, magazines and newspapers. (American Corpus citations). It is informal, but it is an expression used by educated folks.

Rather than poetic license, it is just another example of some people getting an expression wrong. A great example is the common expression in America, "He wouldn't know me from Adam's all fox."

Which really should be, "He wouldn't know me from Adam's off ox."

The off ox was the one on the far side, so, if one was standing on the near side of the road, that ox wouldn't be able

Sadly, one hears a lot on newscasts these days that is not consistent with correct speech. I don't believe I've ever seen "ways" in writing in this context, but I dont doubt you've heard it on TV, especially in certain parts of the U.S.

It is nonstandard. The correct wording is "way".

And, we can't even cite the "King's English" anymore, because I heard the current Prince of W