Adverbs

“Backward” vs. “Backwards”

Adjectives, Adverbs, Common English Blunders, Versus

I often see or hear “backwards” where “backward” is required.

Problem:
These two words are not always interchangeable.

Explanation:
The word “backward” may be used as an adjective or as an adverb.

The word “backwards” may be used only as an adverb in standard English.

These rules give us these examples of valid and invalid usage:

  • “He took a backward approach.” — valid as adjective
  • “He drove ten feet backward.” — valid as adverb
  • “He took a backwards approach.” — invalid as adjective!
  • “He drove ten feet backwards.” — valid as adverb

Solution:
Use “backward” for everything. This obviates the need to remember that “backwards” may be used only as an adverb.

“Supposedly” vs. “Supposably”

Adverbs, Common English Blunders, Devolution toward Simpler, Versus

I hear “supposably” with increasing frequency when “supposedly” is the correct adverb.

Problem:
The adverbs “supposedly” and “supposably” are not synonyms.

Explanation:
The adverb “supposedly” means reputed or believed to be the case; purportedly.

The adverb “supposably” should be used only in the context of capable of being supposed, and this adverb is valid only in American English.

In a sense, most people who use “supposably” are lucky in that it is a “real word” (in American English). But these same people misuse “supposably” as a synonym for “supposedly” (which it is not!).

As I mentioned several days ago, here is an unorthodox but still fairly reliable method to determine which of “supposedly” or “supposably” is more likely to be the correct form: search Google separately for each of “supposedly” and “supposably”; the one with the dominant number of hits or matches is very likely the correct form (unless the language has fallen apart on the Web!).

For example, I just searched Google for “supposedly” and got about 2,770,000 matches; I searched for “supposably” and got about 66,200 matches. This nearly 42:1 dominance of “supposedly” over “supposably” is a very good indicator that “supposedly” is the correct form — at least, in most situations.

I believe that the misuse of “supposably” as a synonym for “supposedly” — especially in speech — is consistent with my “Devolution toward Simpler” hypothesis. It’s simpler to say “supposably” than to say “supposedly” because the first adverb’s ending is simpler to say than is the second adverb’s ending.

Solution:
Use “supposedly” when “purportedly” makes sense as a replacement adverb; use “supposably” only with an American English-speaking audience and only when the intended meaning is “capable of being supposed”.

“Anytime” vs. “Any Time”

Adjectives, Adverbs, Common English Blunders, Versus

I saw “anytime” used where “any time” was required in a technical document.

Problem:
“Anytime” and “any time” are not synonyms.

Explanation:
“Anytime” is an adjective. “Any time” is an adverbial phrase.

It’s an anytime event to have Bill Clinton visit our donut shop. is an example of the proper use of “anytime”. The adjective “anytime” tells the reader/listener the what type of event it is to have Bill Clinton visit the writer/speaker’s donut shop.

Getting stuck in the longest line happens any time that I try to pick the shortest line at the grocery store. is an example of the proper use of “any time”. The adverbial phrase “any time” tells the reader/listener when the writer/speaker gets stuck in the longest line.

Solution:
Use “anytime” when you are modifying a noun; use “any time” when you are modifying a verb.