Toward vs towards: both are correct, so here is how to choose one for your book
Toward and towards mean exactly the same thing. The only real difference is where you are: toward is more common in American English, towards in British English. Neither is a mistake. What matters in a book is choosing one and using it every time.
Is there any difference?
No. Wiktionary's usage note says it plainly: some people have tried to find a difference in meaning between toward and towards, but in practice the difference is only regional. Toward is more common in American English, towards in British English, and each turns up in both.
- American: "She took the first step toward finishing the book."
- British: "She took the first step towards finishing the book."
Both sentences are correct. A reader in either country will understand either one.
How to choose for your book
- Match your main readers. Writing mostly for American readers or an American publisher? Use toward. Writing for a British audience? Use towards.
- Match the rest of your spelling. If your book uses "color" and "organize," toward fits. If it uses "colour" and "organise," towards fits.
- Put it on your style sheet. Write "toward (not towards)" or the reverse, so you, your editor and your proofreader all make the same choice.
Why consistency matters more than the choice
A reader will not notice toward on page 12. They might notice toward on page 12 and towards on page 13. Mixed spellings make a book feel unedited, even when every sentence is correct. The same goes for other words with an optional final s, such as afterward and afterwards, or backward and backwards: decide once, then search your manuscript and make them match.
This is exactly the kind of choice a copy editor tracks across a whole book; see what a copy editor does. For more word choices editors flag, see into vs in to and ensure vs insure.
Start here: search your manuscript for "towards" and "toward." If you find both, pick the one that matches your readers and replace the other.
Common questions
Is it toward or towards?
Both are correct and mean the same thing. Toward is more common in American English and towards is more common in British English, though each turns up in both.
Is there a difference in meaning between toward and towards?
No. Some people have tried to find one, but in practice the only difference is regional: which spelling is more common where you write.
Which should I use in a book?
Match your readers and your publisher. For a book aimed at American readers, toward is the more common choice; for British readers, towards. Whichever you pick, use it every time and put it on your style sheet.
Is towards wrong in American English?
No, it is not wrong, just less common. An American copy editor may change it to toward for consistency, so decide before you hand in the manuscript.
Sources: Wiktionary, usage note for toward and towards (no difference in meaning in practice; toward more common in American English, towards in British English, each found in both), read November 2, 2026. Guidance on choosing and consistency was written by Scribe Media. Published by Scribe Media.