Upward vs. Upwards

Attribute	Upward	Upwards
Definition	Directed or moving towards a higher position or level	Directed or moving towards a higher position or level
Usage	More commonly used in American English	More commonly used in British English
Formality	Considered slightly more formal	Considered slightly less formal
Part of Speech	Adjective, adverb, or preposition	Adverb or preposition

Definition

Upward and upwards are two words that are often confused due to their similar meanings. However, they have distinct differences in their usage. Upward is an adjective that describes a direction moving towards a higher position or level. For example, "The balloon floated upward into the sky." On the other hand, upwards is an adverb that also indicates a direction towards a higher position or level, but it is used to modify a verb. For instance, "The stock market is trending upwards."

Usage

When it comes to usage, upward is typically used before a noun to describe the direction of movement. For example, "The upward trend in sales continued for the third quarter." On the other hand, upwards is used after a verb to modify the action being described. For instance, "The plane climbed upwards into the clouds."

Formality

In terms of formality, upward is considered more formal than upwards. It is often used in academic or professional writing to convey a sense of sophistication. For example, "The company's profits have been steadily increasing upward over the past year." Upwards, on the other hand, is more commonly used in casual conversation or informal writing. For instance, "The temperature is expected to rise upwards of 90 degrees tomorrow."

Direction

Both upward and upwards indicate a direction moving towards a higher position or level. However, upward is more commonly used to describe physical movement, such as climbing a mountain or jumping in the air. For example, "The hiker struggled to make his way upward along the steep trail." Upwards, on the other hand, is often used in a more abstract sense to describe progress or improvement. For instance, "The company is moving upwards in the rankings due to its innovative products."

Frequency

Upward is used more frequently than upwards in everyday language. It is a versatile word that can be used in a variety of contexts to describe upward movement. For example, "The elevator moved upward to the top floor of the building." Upwards, on the other hand, is less commonly used and may sound slightly more formal or old-fashioned to some speakers. For instance, "The road winds upwards through the mountains."

Conclusion

In conclusion, while upward and upwards have similar meanings, they have distinct differences in their usage, formality, and frequency. Upward is typically used before a noun to describe physical movement towards a higher position, while upwards is used after a verb to modify the action being described. Upward is considered more formal and is used more frequently in everyday language, while upwards is often used in a more casual or informal context. Both words have their own unique attributes and can be used effectively depending on the context in which they are used.