What Does "further to" Mean?
- Grammatical function: This expression primarily functions as a prepositional phrase or an adverbial modifier. It expresses addition or continuation, often linking a new action to a previous event, or describing a physical or metaphorical distance yet to be covered.
- Typical sentence position: It is highly versatile, appearing in initial positions (common in business correspondence), medial positions (modifying verbs of movement or change), and final positions (as a clarifying complement).
- Register: Generally formal to highly formal. It is a staple of legal, business, and academic English, though it appears in journalism to describe degrees of change or distance.
How to Use It
- Syntactic patterns: When used as a discourse marker, it is typically followed by a noun phrase (e.g., "Further to our conversation..."). When used as a modifier, it often follows a verb and is followed by an infinitive (e.g., "further to go") or a prepositional phrase (e.g., "further to the right").
- Punctuation rules: If starting a sentence as a reference to previous correspondence, it is usually followed by a comma after the introductory phrase. In medial positions, commas are rarely needed unless it acts as a non-restrictive parenthetical.
- Grammatical flexibility: It can start a sentence in professional contexts. It can be modified by adverbs like "much," "still," or "even" to emphasize distance or degree.
- What sounds unnatural: It sounds awkward in casual speech (e.g., "Further to our chat at the pub" is too stiff). It should not be used as a conjunction to join two independent clauses without a following noun or infinitive.
Real-World Examples
These examples are sourced from further to on Ludwig.guru.
"I have nothing further to add." — theguardian.com
"The current rally has further to run." — theguardian.com
"Somebody further to the right?" — nytimes.com
"Property has much further to fall." — economist.com
"Last year it declined further, to 30 percent." — nytimes.com
Examples sourced from https://ludwig.guru/s/further+to
Similar Phrases and Alternatives
Depending on the level of formality or the specific situation, you might want to vary your language.
| Phrase |
Context |
| following |
A neutral alternative for referencing a previous event or communication. |
| regarding |
Neutral to formal; used to introduce a specific topic or subject. |
| in addition to |
Neutral; used when adding information rather than referencing a previous contact. |
| subsequent to |
Very formal; emphasizes that one event happened after another. |
| about |
Informal; the standard choice for casual conversation and emails. |
Common Mistakes
- Inappropriate Register: Learners often use it in informal contexts where 'regarding' or 'about' would be more appropriate, making the tone sound unnecessarily robotic.
- Syntactic Error: Learners incorrectly follow it with a full clause (subject + verb) instead of a noun phrase or an infinitive. For example, "Further to I sent the email" is incorrect; use "Further to my email" instead.
- Redundancy: Using "Further to" alongside other redundant markers like "In addition, further to..." can clutter the sentence.
Quick-Reference Summary
| Expression |
Function |
Register |
Typical Position |
| further to |
Reference/Addition |
Formal |
Initial or Medial |
FAQs
Where can further to appear in a sentence structure
The expression further to can appear in the sentence-initial position when referencing prior communication or in a mid-clause position as an adverbial modifier. When it appears at the start, it must be followed by a noun phrase, whereas in the middle of a sentence, it often precedes an infinitive or a prepositional phrase.
How does further to differ from following
While both reference a prior event, further to is specifically used in professional contexts to indicate a continuation of a previous discussion or action. Following is more neutral and simply denotes a chronological sequence without necessarily implying a thematic link or a professional follow-up.
What is the most common mistake when using this expression
Learners often use it in informal contexts where regarding or about would be more appropriate, or they incorrectly follow it with a full clause instead of a noun phrase. To avoid this, ensure that further to is always followed by an object or an infinitive verb rather than a new subject-verb pair.