Former and latter in a sentence

Is former or latter correct? Can you use former and latter in a sentence? What does the word latter mean in a sentence? The terms former and latter are words used to distinguish between two things. Former directs us to the first of these two things , and latter directs us to the second (or last ) of them.

Do not use former or latter when you are writing about more than two things. First things first: former and latter are both terms that denote an item’s place in a two-part sequence. Former refers to the first of a set, while latter refers to the secon or last , item. They usually appear in the sentence immediately following the sequence they are describing.

Former and latter often appear together in formal or academic writing. You may also occasionally hear them in spoken English, especially in more formal settings such as a speech or during a business meeting. When used together, these two words refer to two items in a sequence. Former points to the first of the two items in the sequence. Cats and dogs are both popular types of pets.

However, the former requires less exercise. Latter points to the secon or last, of the two items in the sequen. See full list on enhancemywriting. When to use former : Former is an adjective that has several different definitions, all of which relate to something that is previous to another thing or time.

For the first definition, former can mean the first of two items mentioned in a sequence. The second definition is something from a previous or earlier time. The third and final meaning indicates a position or state that a person had in the past, but no longer holds. Costa Rica has both monkeys and sloths in its jungles. When to use latter: Latter is also an adjective that has two similar definitions.

Firstly, it can mean the last of two items mentioned in a sequence. Secondly, it can be used as a synonym for later or near the end. The recipe calls for both butter and milk, although only the latter is essential. During the latter part of the 20th century, huge strides had been made within the field of technology.

There aren’t any common expressions with latter. Former starts with the letter f, as does the word first. Former means the first of two items listed in a sentence. Latter starts with the letter l, as does the word last. Latter means the last of two items listed in a sentence.

It’s also important to remember to use both of these words only in a sequence of two items. If the list has three or more items, these words won’t make sense. As the Senate prepares to vote this week on its Republican leaders’ quest to demolish the Affordable Care Act, a former GOP senator from a more bipartisan time is pleading with his successors to resist “bullying” to support a bill they do not yet understand.

The Angels traded two minor league pitchers to the Washington Nationals for Espinosa in December, hoping he could provide good defense and some pop at the plate. He did the former, but not the latter. Instructions: Select the correct word to fit in the blanks, either latter or former. Pandas and koalas are both popular animals.

The ______________ is native to Australia. That is my ______________ best friend. We had a big fight and don’t talk anymore. He’s a member of the Church of ________ Day Saints. Should I use former or latter ? Use these words when referring to two listed items in a sequence.

Remember that former always refers to something at an earlier or previous time or position, and latter is similar to the meaning of later. We use “former” and “latter” to distinguish between two things that have been previously mentioned. In particular, “former” refers to the first of two things, while “latter” refers to the second: Between cake and death, I prefer the former over the latter. Above, we’ve color-coded the terms to show which one refers to which. An unsurprisingly, the speaker is here saying they prefer cake to death.

We’ve also used both terms in the sentence above, but we can use either by itself. For instance, we could rewrite the previous example as follows: Between cake and death, I prefer the former. But the “latter” is implicit. Alternatively, we could rephrase the sentence so that we focus on the second option: Between cake and death, only a fool would choose the latter. To remember which of these terms is which, keep the following in mind: 1. So if “former” and “latter” refer to twothings, what do you do when discussing more than two things?

Some people use “latter” in this context: Out of carrots, broccoli, and turnips, I only eat the latter. And this is okay in informal writing. Here, “latter” means “last.

In formal writing, though, you should only use “former” and “latter” with two things. And “former” is never used to identify the first item in a list. This is also clearer, as each item in the list will have a specific numbered position. For example: Boys are made of slugs, snails, and puppy dogs’ tails. The first and third of these are for extra masculinity, while the secondis for flavor.

Use former when referring to the first of two things. Use latter when referring to the second of two things. Keep in min too, that these terms are not usually used with lists of three or more things. If you need to distinguish between items in a longer list, use ordinal numbers (e.g., first, secon third).

And to make sure that your writing is error free, you can always get your work proofread. When former is used in the sense of former vs. I was accepted to Harvard and Yale for college. The former school had cheaper tuition. Just as former can function as both an adjective and noun, so can latter.

It comes from the comparative form of Old English laet: laetra, which meant “slower. Latter subsequently took on the meaning “the second of two people or things. We went to the beach with Steve and Susie, the latter of whom would not stop complaining. You need to replace the tie-rod or the ball joint, the latter of which being more exp. You might be tempted to use former and latter with more than just two items, and although this tendency comes to the surface every now and then—even in respectable sources—it should be avoided.

It was raining, and there was lightening in the air. Mary didn’t mind the former problem, but the latter one troubled her because she was afraid of thunder. To tell you the truth, using words like “former” or “latter” can make your reader go back to reread the first part of a sentence, and that isn’t a great strategy. And even if you change things around and warn people to look out for the former or latter point before stating them, it sounds a little pompous. Even in business writing, coming across as a person who is easy to understand and communicate with is an advantage.

So you could start by warning people to look out for the. We know that the “ former” is the person , thing or idea that came first , and we know that the “ latter” is the last person, thing or idea to be mentione but do you think we ought to use these words? When offered a choice between a blue pill and a red pill, Keanu chose the latter. I’d be curious to know!

Outside Examples of Former vs. Heavy equipment related to construction activities is carted through the road when the latter is not meant for such traffic, officials explained. In today’s post, I want to go over the meanings of both of these words, the functions in a sentence , and how to best use them in your future writings.

Summary: What Do “ Former ” and “Latter ” Mean? In the sentence below, latter is used as an absolute adjective. Example: “This item is avail­able in wood and in metal, but I pre­fer the former. Wood: the first of two things) “ Latter ” refers to the sec­ond of TWO per­sons or things.

Use of ‘ Former ’ and ‘Latter ’ If “only two persons or things” have been explained or mentioned in a sentence , The word – ‘ Former ’ is used for the first person or thing and the word – ‘ latter ’ is used for the second person or thing as: 1) Ravi and Raj are good friends but the former is better than the latter. Both ‘ latter ’ and ‘ former ’ are demonstrative adjectives. Latter ’ refers to the second of two things or people that are mentioned in a sentence while ‘ former ’ refers to the first of two things or people mentioned. Former ’ means ‘older’ while ‘ latter ’ means ‘the latest or most recent.

Former is the first subject in the sentence , latter is the last (usually of two). A car and a plane are both going to Houston, the latter arrives first. This sentence is correct because the comparison is between two people.

The series contains more than two people, so latter should not be used. Of the two options offere I prefer the latter. We have a dog and a cat. Let’s have coffee later in the week. Carrie plans to shop for a dress later this afternoon.

During daylight savings time, it gets dark later at night. She chose the latter. Example sentences with the word former. How to use former in a sentence.