"With Regard To" or "With Regards To"?

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"With Regard To" or "With Regards To"?

Should I write "with regard to" or "with regards to"?

The correct version is "with regard to." In summary:
  • With regard to
  • With regards to
Should I write "in regard to" or "in regards to"?

The correct version is "in regard to." In summary:
  • In regard to
  • In regards to
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More about "With Regard To" and "With Regards To"?

Writers are often unsure whether to write "regard" or "regards" in phrases like "with regard to" and "in regard to." Here's the quick answer: Use "regard."
  • With regard to
  • In regard to

"With regards to" is getting more popular but should still be considered an error

The phrase "with regards to" has been growing more popular since the 1990s, but it should still be considered an error. The graph below (from Google's Ngram Viewer) compares the uses of "with regard to" and "with regards to" in literature since 1940.

with regard to or with regards to?

Alternatives to "with regard to" and "in regard to"

Many people consider the phrases "with regard to" and "in regard to" as cumbersome business-speak. Here are some shorter alternatives:
  • Use "About"
    • We need to talk with regard to your request.
    • We need to talk about your request.
  • Use "Regarding"
    • I have received your complaint with regard to the noise.
    • I have received your complaint regarding the noise.
  • Use "Concerning"
    • With regard to your request, we will consider the payment on Friday.
    • Concerning your request, we will consider the payment on Friday.
Interactive Exercise
Here are three randomly selected questions from a larger exercise, which can be edited, printed to create an exercise worksheet, or sent via email to friends or students.

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See Also

adverse or averse? affect or effect? appraise or apprise? avenge or revenge? bare or bear? complement or compliment? dependant or dependent? discreet or discrete? disinterested or uninterested? e.g. or i.e.? envy or jealousy? imply or infer? its or it's? material or materiel? poisonous or venomous? practice or practise? principal or principle? tenant or tenet? who's or whose? What are prepositions? List of easily confused words