Way vs. ways

Question

Tomorrow is a long ways awayhttp://www.tsrocks.com/t/the_byrds_texts/tomorrow_is_a_long_ways_away.html England still a long way away from being series contendershttp://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard-sport/article-23607723-details/England+still+a+long+way+away+from+being+series+contenders/article.do Do these two expressions ' long ways away' and 'long way away' have any differences?And I've seen a similar expression ' a ways away'. I think it means the same as 'a long way away', am I right?

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

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No difference in meaning. 'Ways' is considered substandard or very casual.
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Anonymous · Answer

There is a difference and it has nothing to do with being “sub-standard” nor do they mean the same things.
“Ways” draws its origins from wayes (Shakespearean English, abt 1580) that has a specific meaning referencing an unspecified distance. Its use is carried over to modern English from the distant past and has, through lack of use, become confused and muddled with “way” as well as it's plural form, “ways”.
The word “way” (sans s) carries with it (among several other definitions) the connotation of a“manner”, “fashion” or the“quality of ” a particular path (real or imagined) toward a specific destination. As in, "take this way to the capital.”, as well as, “He did it in this way.”
Confusion arises when the plural of way is used (as in, “the ways of the Romans”). In this sense it is referring to the manner and fashion of how several particular cultural activities are performed. In these cases the context is, of course, vitally important.
In its most widely used form, ways refers to an unknown distance as in, “he still has a long ways to go.” You can see by the context here that this is referring to an unspecified distance and NOT a manner or fashion of performing an activity.
The differences here are best described as; way is specific about what it is referencing (a path, manner or behavior) while ways references something that is as yet unknown.

Anonymous · Answer

EnglishszDo these two expressions ' long ways away' and 'long way away' have any differences?

Yes. The first one is used in American English in particular.

Anonymous · Answer

I think:

A long ways away, is redundant.

A long way away, is also redundant.

A ways away is saying far. So is, a way away. But, 'a ways away' is the more common expression and it is informal as in, only use it casually. I would not say this at work or include it in a professional email.

Anonymous · Answer

one of the most impactful way they can support...

one of the most impactful ways they can support...

the second one sounds MUCH better to my British ear, but grammar checks don't find the first one wrong. Anyone?

Way vs. ways

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