Question: I hear some people use the phrase in regard to while others use in regards to. Is one or the other of these correct?
In regard to is correct. The word regards is legitimate, though. As a noun, it is the plural of regard, meaning care: I send you my regards. Using regards a verb, you may start a sentence with the phrase, As regards, although that one doesn’t slide easily off the tongue.
I would suggest limiting the use of regard/regards as verbs by replacing them with words such as concerning, about, or simply regarding.
Question: My husband says there’s a difference between further and farther. I say they mean the same thing. What do you say?
I say that your answer couldn’t be further from the truth. We use further to refer to a distance that’s metaphorical or figurative. When we say a statement couldn’t be further from the truth, we are speaking metaphorically. There’s no physical distance between the statement and the truth, just theoretical distance.
If we are speaking about physical distance, we use farther. For example, we’d ask: How much farther before we arrive in Versailles? How much farther to Frankfort after that?
You can most easily remember the further/farther rules by noting that farther contains the word far, which clearly refers to physical distance.
Neil Chethik, aka the Grammar Gourmet, is executive director at the Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning (www.carnegieliteracy.org) and author of FatherLoss and VoiceMale. The Carnegie Center offers writing classes and seminars for businesses and individuals. Contact Neil at neil@carnegiecenterlex.org or (859)254-4175.