Farther and further are sometimes used interchangeably. Today we will talk about the subtle differences between the usage of these two words.
Use farther as an adverb when describing physical distance than can actually be measured.
Bob ran farther than Mike.
My grandma’s house is farther away than my uncle’s house.
I can throw the softball farther than you can.
The adverb further is used in a figurative way to talk about distance that isn’t quite measurable.
I’m hoping we will be further along in our project by next week.
When we look further into the future, we get even more confused.
The further we go in life, the more challenging life becomes.
Further can also be a verb. The verb further means to move things along from one point to another.
I’m working hard to further my career.
You can further your education by taking night classes at the community college.
I hope to further your interest in ecology by giving you these books.
Remember to use farther when talking about distance that can be actually measured. Use further when talking figuratively about distance. You can also use further as a verb.