Forward - forwards

Writers sometimes ask "what is the difference between forward and forwards (with the '-s')?" The answer is in essence that writers of British English prefer forwards for the adverb, while writers of American English prefer forward. For both varieties, the form forward is preferred for adjectives, although it should be noted that these are only tendencies, not absolute rules. See also -ward - -wards, for a general and etymological article.

In nautical pronunciation, the '-w-' is often stifled, the first vowel strengthened to that in 'got' (IPA: /ɒ/, and the second vowel reduced to schwa (/ə/), often represented as 'forr'ard[s]' (/ˈfɒr ə^rdz/). In the usual formal pronunciations of both RP and GenAm, the pronunciation has more evenly stressed syllables, with the vowels of the constituent elements (fore and -wards): 'FOUR-wards'. /ˈfəʊ^r wə^rd/.

Some specific branches of meaning should be noted.

• The adjective forward can be used for:

• The adverb

In some team sports, notably rugby football, forward can be used as a noun

an adjective

and an adverb