Forth vs. Fourth: Difference, Examples, and an Easy Memory Trick

Forth means forward, onward, or out from a place. Fourth means number four in order, one of four equal parts, or a date such as the Fourth of July.

• Go forth and try again.
• She finished in fourth place.

These words sound the same, so they are easy to confuse. If you mean movement forward or outward, use forth. If you mean the number 4 in order, use fourth.

Forth vs. fourth at a glance

Word	Meaning	Example
forth	forward, onward, or out	The speaker came forth with new evidence.
fourth	number 4 in order; one of four parts	He lives on the fourth floor.

Quick rule:

1. Forth = forward or out.
2. Fourth = number four in order.
3. If you can replace it with 4th, use fourth.

When to use forth

Use forth when you mean forward, onward, out into view, or away from a starting point.

• The army moved forth at dawn.
• She stepped forth to accept the award.
• New details came forth during the investigation.
• Go forth with confidence.

Forth is usually an adverb. It often appears in set phrases and more formal writing.

Common phrases include:

• go forth
• come forth
• bring forth
• put forth
• set forth
• back and forth

If the sentence is about movement, appearance, expression, or presentation, forth may be correct.

When to use fourth

Use fourth when you mean the ordinal form of the number four.

• She came in fourth place.
• We live on the fourth floor.
• This is my fourth cup of coffee.
• The meeting is on the fourth of May.

Fourth can also mean one of four equal parts.

• One fourth of the cake is gone.
• A fourth of the class voted yes.

If the word means 4th, the correct spelling is fourth with u.

The easiest memory trick

Use this memory trick:

> Fourth has four in it.

That makes sense because fourth means number four in order.

For forth, think:

> Forth means forward.

Both forth and forward begin with fo.

So:

• forth = forward or outward
• fourth = 4th

Go forth or go fourth?

The correct phrase is go forth when you mean move forward, continue, or go out into the world.

Correct:

• Go forth and do your best.
• The team went forth with a new plan.
• The message went forth to all members.

Incorrect:

• Go fourth and do your best.

Use fourth only when you mean the number 4 position.

Correct:

• She went fourth in the speaking order.

That sentence means she was the fourth person to speak.

Fourth place or forth place?

The correct phrase is fourth place.

Correct:

• He finished in fourth place.
• The team moved from fifth to fourth place.
• She was disappointed with fourth place.

Incorrect:

• He finished in forth place.

Why? Because fourth place means position number 4.

Back and forth or back and fourth?

The correct phrase is back and forth.

Correct:

• The children ran back and forth.
• We emailed back and forth all morning.
• The door swung back and forth.

Incorrect:

• The children ran back and fourth.

Back and forth is about movement in opposite directions. It is not about the number four.

Forth examples

Here are more sentences with forth.

• The truth finally came forth.
• She put forth a strong argument.
• The company set forth its new policy.
• The flowers brought forth new color in spring.
• He stepped forth from the crowd.
• The pendulum moved back and forth.

In each sentence, forth suggests forward movement, outward movement, expression, or presentation.

Fourth examples

Here are more sentences with fourth.

• This is the fourth time I have called.
• He was the fourth person in line.
• The office is on the fourth floor.
• One fourth of the pie remains.
• The parade is on the Fourth of July.
• She read the fourth chapter first.

In each sentence, fourth is connected to number four.

Forth in formal phrases

Some uses of forth sound formal or old-fashioned, but they still appear in writing.

Put forth

Put forth means present, propose, or make an effort.

• The scientist put forth a new theory.
• The team put forth its best effort.

Set forth

Set forth means explain, state, or begin a journey.

• The contract sets forth the rules.
• They set forth before sunrise.

Bring forth

Bring forth means produce, create, or cause something to appear.

• The garden brings forth flowers each spring.
• The discussion brought forth several ideas.

These phrases are useful, but they are more formal than everyday alternatives such as “present,” “explain,” or “produce.”

Fourth in dates and fractions

Use fourth for dates and fractions.

Dates:

• the fourth of April
• the Fourth of July
• June fourth

Fractions:

• one fourth
• three fourths
• a fourth of the group

In American English, the Fourth often refers to the Fourth of July, or Independence Day in the United States.

Common mistakes

Mistake 1: Writing go fourth

Incorrect: Go fourth and try again.

Correct: Go forth and try again.

Mistake 2: Writing forth place

Incorrect: She finished in forth place.

Correct: She finished in fourth place.

Mistake 3: Writing back and fourth

Incorrect: We went back and fourth by email.

Correct: We went back and forth by email.

Mistake 4: Writing one forth

Incorrect: I ate one forth of the pizza.

Correct: I ate one fourth of the pizza.

More example sentences

Forth

• The witness came forth with new information.
• The speaker put forth a bold idea.
• The rules are set forth in the handbook.
• The boat moved forth into open water.
• They walked back and forth across the room.

Fourth

• The fourth answer is correct.
• He is in the fourth grade.
• The elevator stopped on the fourth floor.
• The company reported growth in the fourth quarter.
• A fourth of the budget is for marketing.

Quick quiz

Choose the correct word.

1. She finished in ___ place.
2. Go ___ and speak clearly.
3. We walked back and ___.
4. One ___ of the cake is missing.
5. The witness came ___ with evidence.

Answers:

1. fourth
2. forth
3. forth
4. fourth
5. forth

FAQ

What is the difference between forth and fourth?

Forth means forward, onward, or out. Fourth means number four in order or one of four equal parts.

Is it go forth or go fourth?

Use go forth when you mean move forward or continue. Use go fourth only if someone literally goes in the fourth position, which is uncommon.

Is it back and forth or back and fourth?

The correct phrase is back and forth.

Is it fourth place or forth place?

The correct phrase is fourth place because it means position number 4.

Is forth still used in modern English?

Yes, but it is most common in set phrases such as go forth, come forth, put forth, set forth, and back and forth.

The same context-first habit also helps with Flair vs. Flare and Fair vs. Fare. For a wider set of examples in this topic, use the Homophones archive as the category grows.

Final tip

Use forth for forward or outward movement. Use fourth for the number 4 position, date, or fraction.

Remember: fourth contains four.