What is the use of latter?

What is the use of latter?

The terms former and latter are words used to distinguish between two things. Former directs us to the first of these two things, and latter directs us to the second (or last) of them. Do not use former or latter when you are writing about more than two things. Former refers to something that is first in the order of two or more things. Latter refers to something that is either second in a group of two things or last in a group of several. As you indicated, former and latter are understood as referring to 2 items. When you have more than 2 items, it will be less confusing to avoid using former and latter. If you have 3 or more items, the last one is simply the last. * Before that are the next to last or penultimate, etc. The English words former and latter are often used in both informal and academic writing to refer to something mentioned earlier. An easy way to remember the difference is that former starts with the letter F, as in first, and latter starts with the letter L, as in last. Latter definition: Latter is also an adjective. It is the opposite of former; it means the second in a list of two things. Use latter to refer to the second of two persons or things that have been mentioned. When more than two have been mentioned, use last.

What is a latter in English?

: belonging to a subsequent time or period : more recent. the latter stages of growth. : of or relating to the end. Some common synonyms of former are antecedent, anterior, foregoing, preceding, previous, and prior. Table Summarising the Difference between Later and Latter. The word ‘later’ is used to refer to a time afterwards or after a point of time in the present. The word ‘latter’ is used to refer to happening at the end of any activity. Former means ‘beginning’ the opposite being latter meaning ‘more towards the ending’. the latter two literally means the most recent or last two of a presented set. either textually or chronologically most recent.

What is an example of latter?

When you are comparing two things, the first one is known as the former and the second as the latter. For example, George Bush and George W. Bush were both U. S. presidents. The latter was the son of the former. The latter should only be used to refer to the second of two things or people which have already been mentioned. the latter. (plural the latter) ​the second of two things or people mentioned. He presented two solutions. The latter seems much better. Former and latter are referential words, used as adjectives to describe a noun that comes before them. That means they refer to something else—a person, place, or thing mentioned before. Adjective. Near (or nearer) to the end.

What type of word is latter?

Adjective. Near (or nearer) to the end. later today: at some point closer to the end of the day. latter adjective [not gradable] (END) near or toward the end of something: He was in the news during the latter part of the Watergate scandal. latter adjective [not gradable] (END) near or toward the end of something: He was in the news during the latter part of the Watergate scandal. lattermost in American English (ˈlætərˌmoust, -məst) adjective. latest; last.

How to use latter in a sentence?

the latter When two people or things have just been mentioned, you can call the second one the latter. He tracked down his cousin and uncle. The latter was sick. the latter When two people or things have just been mentioned, you can call the second one the latter. He tracked down his cousin and uncle. The latter was sick. the latter When two people or things have just been mentioned, you can call the second one the latter. He tracked down his cousin and uncle. The latter was sick. The latter should only be used to refer to the second of two things or people which have already been mentioned.

Is latter a formal word?

Former and latter usually show up in formal or technical writing. It’s rare that either word appears in casual speech. Former and latter are two words used to refer to two previously mentioned objects. Former refers to the first object mentioned, while latter is the second or last object mentioned. Former and latter are both used (with ‘the’) to refer to previously mentioned items in a list of two or more things. – former. The latter should only be used to refer to the second of two things or people which have already been mentioned. Given the choice between working for someone else and working for the family business, she’d prefer the latter. Rule. Use later when referring to time. Use latter when referring to the second of two persons or things mentioned previously. of or in an earlier time; before the present time or in the past: his former wife. a former employer. the former president of the United States.