These terms are not identical, and we want to understand the difference in meaning so we can use them correctly.
Further usually means additional. “Would you like to discuss
this further? Do you have any further questions?” You don’t want to say, “Would
you like to discuss this farther?” That’s definitely a no-no.
Farther always indicates distance. “We drove for 10 miles,
but we still had to go farther. The cabin is on the north side of the city; it’s
farther than we had anticipated.” It’s not correct to say, “I’ve already run 10
kms in the relay race, but I still have five more kms further.”
You can’t rely on spell check for this one. However, one easy
way to remember the difference is that farther starts with the word “far,”
which reminds you that we’re talking about actual distance that can be
measured.
Happy writing.
Sigrid
