Comparative forms
Fartherandfurtherare comparative adverbs or adjectives. They are the irregularcomparativeforms offar. We use them to talk about distance. There is no difference in meaning between them.Furtheris more common:
We can’t go anyfurther; the road’s blocked.
After this, I felt a little refreshed but as I came over the hill, my legs rebelled. I could walk nofurther.
How muchfartherare we going?
Farther, and, much less commonly,furthercan be used as adjectives to refer to distance away from the speaker:
He could see a small boat on thefarthershore.
At thefurtherend of the village stood an old ruined house.
We often repeatfartherorfurtherto emphasise the distance:
‘I am just a little ship,’ Aunt Emily said, ‘driftingfartherandfartherout to sea.’
We often usealongwithfartherandfurther:
Ben Gunn had told me his boat was hidden near the white rock, and I found that rockfartheralong the beach.
We often usea little,a bitora lotbeforefurtherandfarther:
[in an aerobics exercise class]
Now push and stretch that arm justa littlefurtherand count to ten.
Superlative forms
Farthestandfurthestare superlative adjectives or adverbs. They are the irregularsuperlativeforms offar. We use them to talk about distance. There is no difference in meaning between them.Furthestis more common thanfarthest:
Thefurthestgalaxies are about three thousand million light years away.
Go on, boys! Let’s see who can runfurthest.
Viv took a corner seatfarthestaway from the door.
Further(but notfarther)
There are some occasions when we can usefurtherbut notfarther.
We usefurtherbefore a noun to mean ‘extra’, ‘additional’ or ‘a higher level’:
Forfurtherinformation, please ring 095-6710090.
Afurtherdoor led off to the right, with a tiled passage taking her to the bathroom, and another large square room at the end, which was probably the dining-room.
She’s gone to a college offurthereducation.(a place to study practical subjects from age 17)
We also usefurtherto mean ‘more’:
I do not propose to discuss it anyfurther.
Before you look at your programme, let me explain a littlefurther.
The expressionfurther tois often used in formal letters and emails when someone writes as a follow-up to a previous letter or email:
Further tomy email of 22nd January, I’m now writing to ask if you have considered our offer and whether you wish to proceed with the contract.