Further vs. Farther

This week’s Grammar Refresher comes to us from a reader who wants to know the difference between ‘further’ and ‘farther.’  Easily confused, ‘further’ and ‘farther’ are common grammar mishaps.  So what’s the difference? Further – Use this when you mean to convey a metaphorical distance such as a time or an amount. Example: We will review the proposal further next week. Farther –Used in sentences that are conveying physical distance. Example:  Ronnie ran farther than Ray yesterday. Let’s try it out: Which is correct? A. Tallahassee is further north than Miami. B. Tallahassee is farther north than Miami. The answer is ‘B’ because we’re talking about an actual physical distance.  We know that Tallahassee is north of Miami so therefore it is farther north. Which is correct? A. Brandon used a gas mileage graph to further prove his point about fuel efficiency. B. Brandon used a gas mileage graph to farther prove his point about fuel efficiency. The answer is ‘A’ because we are not talking about a physical distance, but rather a metaphorical one. Want to know more? Have a grammar refresher suggestion? Email us at info@miss-ink.com.