Fourth or Forth: Which Spelling Is Correct?

Fourth and forth are both correct English words, but they have completely different meanings. Because they sound alike, it is easy to confuse them when writing. The simplest rule is to use fourth when you mean the number 4 or 4th position, while forth usually relates to moving forward, onward, or outward.

For example, you would write, “She finished fourth in the race,” because she came in position 4. However, you would write, “The soldiers marched forth,” because the word describes movement onward.

This difference also appears in common expressions such as back and forth, and so forth, set forth, go forth, and Fourth of July. Learning these common phrases can make the distinction much easier to remember.

Fourth or Forth: Quick Answer

Both fourth and forth are real words, but they should not be used interchangeably.

A useful memory trick is:

FOUR → FOURTH

If you are talking about four, 4th, order, position, or one of four parts, choose fourth.

FORTH → FORWARD

If the word relates to moving forward, continuing, or going onward, choose forth.

The Simple Replacement Test

When you are unsure, try replacing the word.

If 4th makes sense, use fourth:

He came fourth in the competition.
He came 4th in the competition.

If forward or onward makes sense, forth may be correct:

The travelers moved forth.
The travelers moved forward.

This test will not work for every fixed expression, but it is an excellent way to distinguish the two words in many everyday sentences.

What Does “Fourth” Mean?

Fourth is primarily connected with the number four. It is the ordinal form of four, meaning the person, thing, or position that comes after the third.

For example:

• first
• second
• third
• fourth
• fifth

If something is number four in an ordered series, fourth is generally the correct word.

Fourth as a Number in a Sequence

The most common use of fourth is to describe the fourth position in an order.

Examples include:

• This is my fourth attempt.
• She finished fourth in the race.
• Today is the fourth day of the month.
• He was the fourth person to arrive.
• We are reading the fourth chapter.

In each example, fourth identifies a position or order.

You can usually replace it with 4th without changing the basic meaning:

The fourth chapter is interesting.

becomes:

The 4th chapter is interesting.

Fourth as a Position

Fourth can describe someone’s or something’s position in a competition, ranking, list, line, or sequence.

For example:

Maria finished fourth in the race.

This means three people finished before Maria.

Similarly:

The restaurant is on the fourth floor.

The building has at least four floors, and the restaurant is located on floor number four.

Other examples include:

• fourth place
• fourth position
• fourth row
• fourth seat
• fourth chapter
• fourth question
• fourth paragraph
• fourth attempt

These are all related to order or position.

Fourth as a Fraction

Fourth can also refer to one of four equal parts.

For example:

I ate one fourth of the cake.

This means one out of four equal parts.

You may also see:

• one fourth
• a fourth
• one-fourth
• two fourths
• three fourths
• fourths

Examples:

One fourth of the students were absent.

She drank one-fourth of the bottle.

The pizza was divided into fourths.

This is another reason you should not think of fourth only as a ranking word. It can also describe a fraction.

Fourth in Dates and Special Names

Fourth is also used when referring to the fourth day of a month or an event whose name includes the word.

A familiar example is:

Fourth of July

The expression refers to July 4 in the United States.

You would not write:

Forth of July

when referring to the date.

The reason is simple: July 4 is the fourth day of July.

What Does “Forth” Mean?

Forth generally relates to movement, progress, continuation, or something coming outward. It is often associated with words such as forward, onward, or out.

Unlike fourth, it does not mean number four.

Examples include:

The travelers went forth.

She stepped forth to speak.

The army marched forth.

In modern everyday English, forth is especially common in established phrases and expressions.

Forth as Forward or Onward

One common meaning of forth is movement forward or onward.

For example:

The explorers went forth into the unknown.

Here, forth gives the idea of moving onward.

Another example:

He stepped forth and addressed the audience.

The word suggests moving forward or coming out to take action.

However, forth can sound somewhat formal or literary when used by itself. In ordinary conversation, people are often more likely to say forward or ahead.

Forth in Movement and Continuation

You may encounter forth in writing that describes movement or continued action.

Examples include:

• move forth
• march forth
• go forth
• come forth
• step forth
• press forth

Some of these expressions sound more formal than everyday alternatives.

For example:

The team moved forth toward its goal.

In casual conversation, someone might instead say:

The team moved forward toward its goal.

Both communicate movement, but the style is different.

Forth in Common Expressions

Forth is especially important because it appears in many established expressions.

Common examples include:

• back and forth
• and so forth
• go forth
• set forth
• bring forth
• come forth
• from this day forth
• put forth

These expressions should be learned as complete phrases because replacing forth with fourth changes the word and makes the phrase incorrect.

Fourth vs Forth: Key Differences

The easiest way to understand the distinction is to compare their meanings and uses.

The biggest difference is therefore about meaning, not pronunciation.

Fourth or Forth: Common Examples

Seeing the words in complete sentences makes the difference easier to recognize.

Examples With “Fourth”

• This is my fourth visit to the museum.
• She lives on the fourth floor.
• He finished fourth in the competition.
• Read the fourth paragraph carefully.
• The fourth question was difficult.
• We met on the fourth day of the trip.
• He took the fourth seat in the row.
• One fourth of the cake was left.
• This is her fourth book.
• They celebrated their fourth anniversary.

In each case, the word connects to four, position, order, or a fourth part.

Examples With “Forth”

• The soldiers marched forth.
• She stepped forth to accept the award.
• The travelers went forth into the forest.
• The speaker called the next person forth.
• They moved forth after a short break.
• He put forth a new idea.
• The discussion continued back and forth.
• We talked about books, movies, and so forth.
• The new policy was set forth in the document.
• The announcement brought forth many questions.

Here, forth is used either in the sense of movement/continuation or as part of a common expression.

Fourth Grade or Forth Grade?

The correct phrase is fourth grade.

She is in the fourth grade.

Not:

She is in the forth grade.

The reason is that fourth grade means grade number four. The word describes the student’s position in the sequence of school grades.

The same pattern applies to other educational contexts:

• fourth-grade student
• fourth-grade teacher
• fourth-grade classroom
• fourth-grade reading
• fourth-grade math

When the word refers to the number or level four, use fourth.

Fourth Place or Forth Place?

The correct expression is fourth place.

He finished in fourth place.

Not:

He finished in forth place.

A competition may have first place, second place, third place, and fourth place. Since the word identifies position number four, fourth is required.

Other examples include:

Our team came fourth.

She received fourth place in the competition.

He moved into fourth position during the final round.

Fourth of July or Forth of July?

The correct expression is Fourth of July.

We watched fireworks on the Fourth of July.

Not:

We watched fireworks on the Forth of July.

The phrase refers to July 4, so fourth is connected to the number four.

You may also see:

• July Fourth
• the Fourth of July
• Fourth of July celebrations

The word forth does not belong in this expression.

Back and Forth or Back and Fourth?

The correct phrase is back and forth.

The children ran back and forth across the yard.

Not:

The children ran back and fourth across the yard.

The expression describes repeated movement from one direction to another.

It can also describe an exchange or repeated change between people or ideas:

They argued back and forth for several minutes.

The two teams sent messages back and forth.

Here, forth has its connection with movement or direction.

A simple way to remember it is:

Back + forward = back and forth.

And So Forth or And So Fourth?

The correct expression is and so forth.

We discussed books, movies, music, and so forth.

Not:

We discussed books, movies, music, and so fourth.

And so forth means approximately and so on. It is used when a speaker or writer gives examples but does not want to list everything.

For example:

You will need pencils, notebooks, folders, and so forth.

This means there are additional similar items that are not being listed.

Go Forth or Go Fourth?

The correct expression is normally go forth when the meaning is to move onward or proceed.

Go forth and share what you have learned.

Go fourth would literally suggest “go number four,” which is not the intended meaning in this expression.

This distinction becomes easy when you think about meaning:

• go forth = go forward or go onward
• fourth = number four in a sequence

Set Forth or Set Fourth?

The established expression is set forth.

The rules are set forth in the agreement.

Set forth can mean to present, explain, state, or establish something. It can also describe beginning a journey in some contexts.

For example:

The document sets forth the company’s policies.

Here, forth is part of a fixed expression and has nothing to do with the number four.

Come Forth or Come Fourth?

The phrase come forth is correct when the meaning is to come forward or emerge.

A volunteer was asked to come forth.

By contrast, come fourth would mean to arrive in fourth position in an appropriate context.

For example:

She came fourth in the race.

This gives a useful contrast:

Come forth = come forward.

Came fourth = finished in position four.

The spelling changes because the meanings change.

Common Mistakes With Fourth and Forth

Because these words sound alike, spelling mistakes are common when writing quickly.

Here are some frequent errors:

Why These Mistakes Happen

The main reason is pronunciation.

Fourth and forth sound very similar, so listening alone may not tell you which spelling belongs in a sentence. The difference becomes clear when you consider the meaning.

Ask yourself:

Am I talking about four?

If yes, choose fourth.

Am I talking about moving forward, continuing, or using a fixed expression such as “back and forth”?

If yes, choose forth.

How to Remember Fourth vs Forth

A few simple memory tricks can make this distinction much easier.

Remember “FOUR” Inside “FOURTH”

The word fourth contains four:

FOUR → FOURTH

Whenever the meaning is connected to the number four, think fourth.

Examples:

• fourth grade
• fourth place
• fourth floor
• fourth question
• one fourth
• Fourth of July

Connect “FORTH” With “FORWARD”

Think:

FORTH → FORWARD

This works particularly well for movement.

Examples:

• march forth
• go forth
• step forth
• move forth

The words are not synonyms in every situation, but the connection is useful for remembering the central idea.

Use the 4th Test

Try replacing the word with 4th.

She finished fourth.

→ She finished 4th.

The meaning still works, so fourth is correct.

Now try:

They moved forth.

→ They moved 4th.

That makes no sense, so forth is correct.

Use the Forward Test

Try replacing the word with forward.

The soldiers marched forth.

→ The soldiers marched forward.

The meaning works, so forth is appropriate.

But:

She finished fourth.

→ She finished forward.

That does not work, so fourth is correct.

Remember that fixed expressions such as and so forth should be learned as phrases rather than tested mechanically.

Fourth or Forth in Everyday Writing

The distinction becomes especially important in school, work, and formal writing because spelling mistakes can change the meaning of a sentence.

Consider these examples:

Please read the fourth section.

This tells the reader which section to read.

The soldiers marched forth.

This describes movement.

Another example:

The meeting is scheduled for the fourth of May.

The date requires fourth.

The discussion went back and forth.

The expression requires forth.

Although the two words sound alike, their written forms carry different meanings.

Fourth and Forth in Formal English

Both words can appear in formal English, but forth is sometimes more formal or literary when used outside established expressions.

For example:

The committee set forth several recommendations.

This is a formal way of saying that the committee presented or stated several recommendations.

By comparison:

The committee’s fourth recommendation concerns funding.

Here, fourth simply identifies recommendation number four.

This difference shows why context matters more than pronunciation.

A Quick Fourth vs Forth Practice Quiz

Choose fourth or forth in each sentence.

1. She finished ___ in the competition.
2. The soldiers marched ___.
3. We live on the ___ floor.
4. The children ran back and ___.
5. He is in the ___ grade.
6. We discussed books, movies, and so ___.
7. One ___ of the cake remains.
8. The document sets ___ the new rules.

Answers

1. fourth
2. forth
3. fourth
4. forth
5. fourth
6. forth
7. fourth
8. forth

The pattern is straightforward: sentences connected to number four or fourth position use fourth, while movement and established expressions generally use forth.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is “fourth” or “forth” correct?

Both words are correct, but they have different meanings. Fourth relates to the number four or the fourth position, while forth generally means forward or onward and also appears in expressions such as back and forth and and so forth.

What is the easiest way to remember fourth and forth?

Remember FOUR → FOURTH and FORTH → FORWARD. If you are talking about number four, use fourth. If the meaning involves moving onward or a phrase such as back and forth, use forth.

Is it “fourth grade” or “forth grade”?

The correct phrase is fourth grade because it refers to grade number four. Forth grade is a spelling mistake.

Is it “back and forth” or “back and fourth”?

The correct expression is back and forth. It describes movement or communication in two directions.

Is it “Fourth of July” or “Forth of July”?

The correct expression is Fourth of July because it refers to July 4. The word fourth identifies the fourth day of the month.

Is “forth” a real word?

Yes. Forth is a standard English word. It is commonly associated with forward or onward movement and appears in expressions such as go forth, back and forth, set forth, and and so forth.

Is “fourth” the same as “4th”?

In most contexts, yes. Fourth is the written word for the ordinal number represented by 4th. For example, “the fourth chapter” and “the 4th chapter” refer to the same position.

Conclusion

Fourth and forth are both correct English words, but they serve different purposes. Use fourth when you mean the number four, the fourth position, or one of four equal parts. Use forth when you mean forward or onward, or when it appears in expressions such as back and forth and and so forth. The easiest memory trick is FOUR → FOURTH and FORTH → FORWARD. When writing, think about the meaning rather than the sound. If the sentence is about number four, choose fourth; if it describes onward movement or a fixed expression, choose forth.

Ava Collins

Ava Collins is a passionate writer who enjoys turning everyday ideas into clear, engaging, and helpful content. She loves exploring language, culture and meaningful stories that connect with readers. Ava is also the fictional author of Beneath the Silver Maple and The Last Lantern of Willow Cove. When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading, traveling and finding inspiration in ordinary moments.