You are writing an email and pause at one sentence: “I am contacting you in regard to your application.” Should “regard” have an s?
The standard phrase is in regard to. It means “about,” “concerning,” or “with respect to.” In regards to communicates the same intended idea, but careful American English usually treats it as nonstandard.
That small difference matters most in professional, academic, and edited writing. Choosing the singular form keeps the sentence conventional and polished.
Quick Answer
Use in regard to, not in regards to, when you mean “about” or “concerning.”
In regard to your request, we need more information is standard. In regards to your request is common in conversation, but many editors and careful readers consider it nonstandard. For a simpler sentence, you can often replace the entire phrase with about or regarding.
Why People Confuse Them
The two forms sound almost identical in speech. The final s in “regards” may be easy to add without noticing.
Confusion also comes from other correct uses of regards. People write Best regards at the end of an email and say Send my regards to your family. In those sentences, “regards” means good wishes.
Another standard expression uses the verb form regards, as in “As regards the schedule, nothing has changed.” That structure can make “in regards to” feel correct even though it follows a different pattern.
Frequent exposure adds to the confusion. Because many people say and write “in regards to,” it sounds familiar. Familiar usage, however, is not always the best choice for edited writing.
Key Differences At A Glance
- In regard to: The standard fixed phrase meaning “about” or “concerning.”
- In regards to: A common nonstandard variation with the same intended meaning.
- Best general choice: Use “in regard to” in all situations when choosing between the two.
- Simpler option: Use “about” when a less formal tone fits.
The difference is not about one topic versus several topics. “Regard” stays singular even when the phrase introduces a plural noun.
Correct: In regard to the invoices, two totals need correction.
Nonstandard: In regards to the invoices, two totals need correction.
Meaning and Usage Difference
In regard to is a multiword prepositional phrase. It introduces the subject that a statement concerns.
In regard to the delivery date, Friday works best.
Here, the phrase means “concerning the delivery date.”
In regards to usually expresses the same meaning. The problem is not clarity. Readers will understand it. The problem is that the plural form does not match the established fixed phrase used in standard edited English.
In regards to the delivery date, Friday works best.
This sentence is understandable, but “regards” may look like an error in a report, application, business email, or school assignment.
The number of items after the phrase does not change its form:
- In regard to this charge
- In regard to these charges
- In regard to all three proposals
In every example, “regard” remains singular.
Tone, Context, and Formality
In regard to has a neutral-to-formal tone. It often appears in business correspondence, official notices, reports, and careful explanations. It can also appear in normal conversation, although “about” may sound more relaxed.
In regards to often sounds conversational because people commonly use it in speech. However, it does not become the better choice merely because the setting is informal. It is still safer to use the singular form.
A useful distinction is:
- “In regard to” sounds formal and standard.
- “In regards to” sounds formal in structure but may appear unpolished to careful readers.
- “About” sounds shorter and more conversational.
Pronunciation does not help much here because the phrases differ only by the final s sound. The real issue is written form and accepted usage.
Which One Should You Use?
Use in regard to whenever you must choose between these two phrases.
| Context | Best Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Professional email | In regard to | Standard and polished |
| School assignment | In regard to | Appropriate for edited writing |
| Report or proposal | In regard to | Avoids a common usage error |
| Customer message | In regard to | Clear and professional |
| Casual conversation | In regard to | Correct in both casual and formal settings |
| Friendly text | In regard to, or “about” | “About” may sound more natural |
You do not need a different rule for speech and writing. The singular form works everywhere.
Still, do not force the phrase into every sentence. “I’m calling about your order” is usually more direct than “I’m calling in regard to your order.”
When One Choice Sounds Wrong
In regards to sounds most noticeably wrong in writing that readers expect to be careful.
It may distract in:
- a cover letter
- a college paper
- a legal or official document
- a company policy
- a formal complaint
- an email to a client
Consider this sentence:
In regards to your interview, please arrive 15 minutes early.
The meaning is clear, but a careful reader may focus on the extra s. The corrected version is:
In regard to your interview, please arrive 15 minutes early.
The plural form may attract less attention in casual speech, yet it offers no advantage. The singular form remains the dependable choice.
Common Mistakes (and Quick Fixes)
Mistake: Making “regard” agree with a plural topic
Wrong: In regards to your questions, I have attached a response.
Fix: In regard to your questions, I have attached a response.
The following noun does not control the number of “regard.”
Mistake: Copying “regards” from an email closing
Wrong: In regards to tomorrow’s meeting, the room has changed.
Fix: In regard to tomorrow’s meeting, the room has changed.
“Best regards” uses a separate meaning: good wishes.
Mistake: Adding “to” after “regarding”
Wrong: Regarding to your account, we need identification.
Fix: Regarding your account, we need identification.
“Regarding” takes its object directly.
Mistake: Using a formal phrase when a short word is clearer
Heavy: I have a question in regard to the fee.
Clearer: I have a question about the fee.
Both are correct, but the shorter version often sounds more natural.
Everyday Examples
Workplace
- In regard to the budget, we need the final figures by Tuesday.
- Maya sent a follow-up in regard to the revised contract.
- In regard to remote work, the current policy remains unchanged.
Customer service
- I am calling in regard to your recent order.
- We received your message in regard to the damaged package.
- In regard to your refund, the payment should appear within five business days.
School and college
- The professor answered my question in regard to the assignment.
- In regard to the final exam, students may use a basic calculator.
- The office sent an update in regard to registration.
Everyday communication
- I wanted to speak with you in regard to tomorrow’s plans.
- In regard to the repair, the landlord has scheduled a visit.
- She asked for more details in regard to the event.
In relaxed situations, many of these sentences would sound smoother with “about.” The examples show that the standard phrase works correctly across contexts.
Dictionary-Style Word Details
Verb
- In regard to: The complete expression is not a verb. Within the phrase, “regard” functions as a noun.
- In regards to: The complete expression is also not a verb. The form “regards” can be a verb elsewhere, but that does not make this phrase standard.
As a separate verb, regard means to consider, view, or think about something in a particular way: “They regard the change as necessary.”
Noun
- In regard to: “Regard” is a singular noun inside the fixed phrase.
- In regards to: “Regards” looks like a plural noun, but the standard expression does not use the plural here.
Outside this comparison, regards can correctly mean greetings or good wishes: “Please give them my regards.”
Synonyms
For in regard to, the closest plain alternatives are:
- about
- concerning
- regarding
- with respect to
- in relation to
For in regards to, the intended alternatives are the same, but replacing it with in regard to corrects the standard usage.
There is no useful direct antonym for either phrase because both introduce a topic rather than express an idea with a simple opposite.
Example Sentences
- In regard to: In regard to your request, the manager will reply tomorrow.
- In regards to: In regards to your request, the manager will reply tomorrow. This version is understandable but nonstandard in edited writing.
- In regard to: The committee reached no decision in regard to the proposed change.
- In regards to: The committee reached no decision in regards to the proposed change. Prefer the singular form.
Word History
The word regard came into English through Anglo-French and is related to a French verb meaning to look at or consider. That history applies to the word itself, not to a special meaning difference between these two modern phrases.
The standard expression developed with singular regard. The plural variation likely feels natural because English also uses “regards” correctly for good wishes and as a verb in other structures. That familiarity should not be mistaken for a separate standard meaning.
Phrases Containing
- In regard to: A standard phrase meaning “about,” “concerning,” or “with respect to.”
- In regards to: A common but nonstandard variation of “in regard to.”
When checking a sentence, look at the complete expression. Do not decide based only on whether “regards” is a valid word elsewhere.
FAQs
“In regards to” is widely understood, but edited American English usually treats it as nonstandard. Use “in regard to” in schoolwork, business messages, applications, and reports. The singular form avoids distracting readers who notice the difference.
You can use it and people will understand you because the plural form is common in speech. Still, it may sound careless to some listeners. Choosing “in regard to” gives you one dependable form for casual and formal situations.
An email should normally say “in regard to,” especially when writing to a client, employer, teacher, government office, or unfamiliar recipient. In a relaxed personal message, “in regards to” remains understandable, but the standard form is safer.
No. The phrase stays “in regard to” whether you mention one topic or several. The noun does not become plural because the following subject is plural. Write “in regard to the invoices,” not “in regards to the invoices.”
Many speakers blend the standard phrase with correct uses of “regards,” such as “best regards” or the verb form in “as regards.” Repetition also makes the plural version sound familiar, but familiarity does not make it preferable in edited writing.
It can sound slightly formal, but it is not wrong in ordinary writing. Use it when you want a professional transition to a topic. In a friendly text or simple sentence, “about” often sounds more natural while keeping the meaning.
Conclusion
Between in regard and in regards, choose in regard to when you mean “about” or “concerning.”
“In regards to” is common and understandable, especially in speech, but it remains nonstandard in careful American writing. The safest correction is simple: remove the s. For an even shorter and more natural sentence, use about when the context allows.
