Grammar Guide #6: Regard vs. Regards

Maybe it’s a trend or maybe it’s the company I’ve been keeping, but I’ve noticed an uptick in the usage of the somewhat-formal in regards to recently. In fact, a co-worker recently asked me to settle a dispute on whether or not regards should be plural when used in place of about or concerning.

Actually, the preferred choice is to just use about or concerning, but if one feels strongly about using in regard to or with regard to, then regard should be used in the singular form. The plural form should be reserved for when you want to send your good wishes or condolences, as in give my regards to your mother. Here are a few examples that might help clarify this grammar guideline.

Examples:

Correct usage of regard(s)

The website has no references in regard to the way the sausage is prepared.

With regard to my last post, I hope that I didn’t offend any technical writers.

John had a scheduling conflict on the night of the dinner so he sent his regards instead.

Oh, and please…never use the word irregardless. Regardless of what many people think it means, it’s not a proper word. It doesn’t mean “without regard” as that is what regardless means. When you add the negative prefix ir- to it, you’re actually turning it into a double-negative word that means the opposite of (-ir) without regard (regardless).