Former vs latter

What does latter and former mean? First things first: former and latter are both terms that denote an item’s place in a two-part sequence. They usually appear in the sentence immediately following the sequence they are describing. The terms former and latter are words used to distinguish between two things.

Do not use former or latter when you are writing about more than two things. 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. See full list on writingexplained. Just as former can function as both an adjective and noun, so can latter. Latter means being the second of two persons or things mentioned. 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. Latter Both former and latter have identical rules of usage. In technical terms former is not the opposite of latter. Latter” is an adjective used to signify the second item or person from a sequence.

The adjective former describes the first occurring event or person mentioned. In contrast, the adjective latter describes the second subsequent item for a list of two, the last item in a sequence, or the nearest occurring event from the past. 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. Cats and dogs are both popular types of pets. Latter points to the secon or last, of the two items in the sequen. However, the former requires less exercise. 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. Latter starts with the letter l, as does the word last.

There aren’t any common expressions with latter. 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. Note that this can only be used to distinguish between two items. Never use former and latterwhen you’ve referred to more than two things.

It’s also wise to use these words sparingly throughout your writing. Using former or latter too often can get confusing for readers, since 1) many people don’t have a clear understanding of what each means, and 2) readers will need to frequently look back at which is which in the previous sentence. As an adjective, former described someone or something that previously held a certain role or purpose.

It’s usually synonymous with the prefix “ex-“, as in “ex-husband” or “ex-associate. Latteris an adjective that describes something situated closer to the end of something than to the beginning. Latter, as we’ve already discusse can also denote the second of previously mentioned things.

One easy way to remember which is which is the fact that former starts with an ‘f’, like first, while latter is only one letter away from later. For more help with word choice and grammar, be sure to check out our tips on emigrate vs. Did you find this post helpful? Let us know in the comments below!

Here’s an exam­ple of how peo­ple use the two words: “I enjoy read­ing Entrepreneur and Inc, but pre­fer the lat­ter over the former. The distinction is pretty straightforward: FORMER refers to the first thing, while LATTER refers to the second. To help you remember this difference, here’s a small trick: “ former ” and “first” both start with “f”, while “ latter ” and “last” also start with the same letter. Both words work as a noun and an adjective. But they're also determiners, meaning words that determine the kind of reference a noun already has.

Latter Boban Simic, a Chicago bouncer contemplating a comeback as a mixed martial arts fighter, and his trainer, former pro boxer and retired Chicago firefighter Bobby Thompson, were out for their regular winter swim when Simic noticed a large chunk of floating ice a couple hundred yards offshore. The latter is accessible by private road from Sitka. There were two distinct groups of migrating animals during the summer months, the predators and the prey.

The latter group had disappeared by the end of September. Former functions as an adjective. Another meaning of ‘former’ is having previously filled a particular role or been a particular thing. Decide whether you have to use later or latter : My neighbours have a son and a daughter : the former is a teacher, the _____ is a nurse.

I will address that at a _____ time. John arrived at the party _____ than Mary did. Noun ()A symbol in an alphabet. I prefer the _____ offer to the former one. And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew.

A written or printed communication, generally longer and more formal than a note.