ENGLISH
REFERENCE

towards

prep.
A2 Elementary Oxford US //ˈtɔɹdz// UK //tʊwˈɔːdz// to·wards General-service

prep. moving in the direction of someone or something. You also use it to talk about how you feel about a person or a goal.

prep. in the direction of; moving closer to a specific point or person. Also used to indicate a relationship, attitude, or contribution to a specific purpose.


SIMPLE

She walked towards the park to meet her friends.

CONTEXTUAL

The company is working towards a goal of reducing plastic waste by fifty percent.

COMPLEX

As the sun dipped towards the horizon, the long shadows stretched across the valley, signaling the end of the day's labor.

Origin

From Middle English towardes, from Old English tōweardes, tōwærdes, equivalent to toward + -s (adverbial suffix).

Usage

Commonly used with verbs of motion or progress; 'towards' is more common in British English, while 'toward' is preferred in American English.

Pitfall

He walked towards to the houseHe walked towards the houseTowards is a preposition and takes its object directly; do not add 'to' after it.

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