Difference between forth and fourth

This is part of the difference between series.

Recently, someone asked me to explain the difference between the words forth and fourth. Here’s the difference between the two.

Forth

Forth is an adverb that means something like forward, onward, or come out of hiding. Consider these examples:

  • The evil mastermind commanded the conjured demon to come forth.
  • He promised to eat his vegetables from that day forth.
  • That was a convoluted chapter, but the main point comes forth toward the end.

Fourth

Fourth, on the other hand, is the ordinal number for four. Consider these examples:

  • I came in fourth place in the hot pepper eating contest.
  • She ate one fourth of the pizza.
  • He nearly collided with the truck when he tried shifting into fourth gear.

Memory tip: If you often confuse these two words, just remember that both four and fourth contain a U.

Which words do you confuse? Let me know in the comments below.

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By Kim Siever

I am a copywriter and copyeditor. I blog on writing and social media tips mostly, but I sometimes throw in my thoughts about running a small business. Follow me on Twitter at @hotpepper.