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Zoltán Király Posted 4 years ago
Grammar

Is "toward" or "towards" correct?

I heard this in a TV show:


Person A: What's your major?

Person B: Well, I'm leaning toward English.


I was watching with the subtitles and I noticed the word "toward." Shouldn't that be with a final s, like so "towards English"?

  

Top answer

"Toward" is US English. "Towards" is UK English. You hear both in the US.

— Anonymous

  • "Toward" is US English.
  • "Towards" is UK English.
  • You hear both in the US.
  • We aren't that fussy about it, but it is probably best to keep the distinction.
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2 Answers
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"Toward" is US English. "Towards" is UK English. You hear both in the US. We aren't that fussy about it, but it is probably best to keep the distinction.

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The -s ending is from Old English, which was heavily inflected. That ending converted an adjective to an adverb.

Old English toweards, from toweard (adj.) "coming, facing, approaching" + adverbial genitive ending.

Old English toweard "in the direction of," prepositional use of toweard (adj.) "coming, facing, approaching," from to + ward

The root "ward" with the "s" ending va

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