When we discuss progress, we often want to communicate what has or has not happened by a specific point in time. To do this, is it correct to incorporate the phrase “thus far”?
It is correct to use the phrase “thus far” to refer to something that has or has not happened up until the current point in time. “Thus far” has a nearly identical meaning to the phrase “so far,” but most consider “thus far” to be a more formal alternative.
This article will analyze the phrase “thus far” and discuss best practices for including it in your written and verbal communication. Keep reading.
What Does “Thus Far” Mean?
The phrase “thus far” means “up until this point in time.” You can also think of “thus far” as meaning “until now” (source). We use this phrase to describe whether something has or has not happened yet.
For example, if you say, “I haven’t received a phone call thus far,” you would be communicating that you are waiting for a phone call, but it hasn’t happened yet. As another example, if you were to say, “We have six signatures thus far,” this would mean that, at this point in time, you have collected six signatures.
With both examples above, there is the implication that something more has yet to happen. In the first sentence above, we know that the speaker is waiting on a phone call that should happen in the near future. In the second example, the phrase “thus far” implies they expect more signatures to come as time goes on.
We use the phrase “thus far” to discuss the progress of an event or activity. Similarly, you can use the phrase “so far” to also mean “until now” or “up until this point.” Both “thus far” and “so far” have this common meaning, but you would typically use them in different contexts.
Is It Grammatically Correct to Say “Thus Far”?
It is grammatically correct to say “thus far” when you use the phrase to describe the progress of an event or action as it pertains to the current point in time. As an adverbial phrase, “thus far” modifies a sentence to offer additional information about the event’s timing or action in question.
Like the word “thus,” adverbs are words that modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. In addition, adverbs provide additional meaning to a sentence to clarify the time, manner, place, or degree (source).
Alone, the word “thus” can function as a conjunctive adverb in circumstances where the implied meaning is synonymous with “consequently” or “as a result.” In these circumstances, the word “thus” functions as a conjunction within a sentence.
Here is a sentence where “thus” operates as a conjunction: “She overcooked the chicken, thus ruining their supper.” You could replace the word “thus” with “consequently,” and the meaning of the sentence would not change.
However, when you connect the word “thus” with the word “far” to create the phrase “thus far,” the meaning changes. Together, “thus” and “far” make an adverbial phrase that cannot function as a conjunction but, rather, together create a modifying phrase.
How Do You Use “Thus Far”
You can use “thus far” in casual circumstances to refer to something that has or has not occurred as of yet.
To incorporate this phrase, you can begin a sentence with “thus far,” you can end a sentence with “thus far,” or you can use “thus” as a conjunction in the middle of a sentence.
Usually, we use “thus far” as a progress checkpoint. Using the phrase, you can communicate what has or hasn’t happened yet and what you expect to happen in the near future.
Using “Thus Far” in a Full Sentence
When you apply the phrase “thus far” in a full sentence, you will want to include it before or after the details that illustrate what has or has not occurred. You can also use the word “thus” on its own.
Here are two example sentences that use the phrase “thus far.” In each, the words that precede the phrase “thus far” provide information about what has or hasn’t occurred as of yet.
- We haven’t solved the equation thus far.
- They have two children thus far.
We can also use the word “thus” on its own to mean “therefore” or “consequently.” Because of this meaning, “thus” always links two ideas together. The first idea is what happened, and the second idea is the consequence or result.
This is true whether you are beginning a sentence with “thus” or using “thus” as a conjunction within the sentence.
“Thus” in the Beginning of a Sentence
You can use “thus” at the beginning of a sentence when a preceding sentence describes a related situation or circumstance.
When we begin a sentence with “thus,” there must be a previous sentence for the sentence with “thus” to link back to. That first sentence provides vital information and cannot be left out. Let’s look at the examples below.
- The children had an extended recess. Thus, they were exhausted.
- They caught the burglar. Thus, the crime in the neighborhood ceased.
- I missed my flight. Thus, I napped at the airport.
In each of the examples, there is a sentence that first describes a situation or circumstance. Then, the following sentence that begins with “thus” describes a result or consequence of what happened in the first sentence.
Whenever you begin a sentence with thus, that sentence must follow and connect to a previous sentence.
Using “Thus” in a Sentence as a Conjunction
As we mentioned above, we can use “thus” as a conjunction without the word “far.” We use conjunctions to combine independent clauses with other independent clauses and with dependent clauses.
“Thus” is a conjunctive adverb, and some other common conjunctive adverbs are the words “therefore,” “moreover,” “furthermore,” and “however.” In particular, “thus” is most synonymous with “therefore.”
Next, we’ll look at some sentences where “thus” is a conjunction.
- She was late to work again; thus, her boss fired her.
- Jacob spent hours working on his project, thus receiving an A for a grade.
- The pizza was burnt, and, thus, he threw it away.
In What Context Can You Use “Thus Far”?
You can use “thus far” in both written and spoken formal contexts. People use “thus far” when they are striving to achieve a more proper and learned tone. However, sometimes, this can come across as snobbish or pretentious.
We want to avoid using “thus far” to simply sound fancy, si it is best to use “thus far” to discuss formal topics in formal circumstances. An example of this would be a formal written analysis in an academic essay.
If you’d like to apply “thus far” in an academic essay, you could use it when discussing results or conclusions. You could also apply it within a literature review to describe the current understanding of a given topic.
- Ten additional studies have corroborated our conclusions thus far.
- Thus far, the results of the current study remain inconclusive.
When Can You Use “Thus Far”?
It is best to use “thus far” when the situation and topic of discussion are formal and more inviting of “old-fashioned” language. If you notice that those around you are using this phrase, that is usually a good indicator that it would be appropriate for you to use it too, matching their tone.
Sometimes the topic of discussion will be more inclusive of older vocabulary. In these instances, it would likely be a time that you can use “thus far.”
If you do decide to include this phrase, be sure to use it to communicate the progress of a specific event or situation.
When Not to Use “Thus Far”
Generally, you should avoid using “thus far” in casual conversations. The phrase is not nearly as popular as it once was, and the archaic nature of the word “thus” can sound out of place in a casual conversion in modern times.
Etymologists have traced the word “thus” back to Old English (þus), where people used it to mean “in this way” or “as follows” (source). In modern English, people used the word “thus” a lot more often in the 19th century.
Since then, we have used the word “thus” less and less, especially in casual communication.
What Can You Use Instead of “Thus Far”?
Some of the best alternatives to the phrase “thus far” are the following: “so far,” “as of yet,” “to date,” and “until now.”
Another option is the word “hitherto,” which also means “until now” (source); however, “hitherto” is even more archaic and less frequent than “thus far.”
So Far
The easiest alternative to “thus far” is to use the phrase “so far.”
This is because you can interchange these phrases without affecting the sentence’s meaning or word order. See the example below:
- We have three club members thus far.
- We have three club members so far.
As of Yet
Comparatively, “as of yet” has a more formal tone to it, so if you are in a circumstance where you want to speak more formally, you could use “as of yet.”
However, some consider this phrase unnecessarily wordy, and it can carry a more negative connotation than the other alternatives. Here is an example of “as of yet” in a sentence:
- We don’t have enough club members as of yet.
To understand more about how to apply the word “yet,” you can refer to our article “Which Is Correct: Not Yet or Yet Not?” When you use “as of yet,” you are saying that something has or hasn’t happened yet up until that day.
To Date
As another option, the phrase “to date” is easy to use, but it implies the entire current day more than the exact current point in time.
Here is an example:
- We don’t have enough club members to date.
You can use “until now” as another replacement for “thus far.” “Until now” works in both formal and informal situations, and you can easily apply the phrase within a sentence to articulate something that has or hasn’t happened “until now.”
Here is an example:
- We didn’t have enough club members until now.
Hitherto
While “hitherto” is another alternative to the phrase “thus far,” people rarely use this word, and it can sound even more out of place than “thus far.”
Here is an example of how to use it in a sentence:
- It was an excellent production of a hitherto neglected work of art.
Adverbs Of Degree, Manner, Frequency, Place, Or Time
Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs, but there are also five main types of adverbs. These are adverbs of degree, adverbs of manner, adverbs of frequency, adverbs of place, and adverbs of time.
Many people struggle with identifying adverbs within a sentence because of these complexities. When it comes down to it, we use adverbs to provide additional information. Adverbs enable us to add nuance and precision to our written and spoken communication.
The table below will give a brief definition of each type of adverb.
| Type of Adverb | Examples | In a Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Adverbs of Degree describe the extent to which something occurs. | Very Just Completely Extremely | They were very tired. I’m just thirsty. She was completely enamored. He was extremely cold. |
| Adverbs of Manner describe the way in which something occurs. | Honestly Bravely Well Angrily | They were honestly confused. She drove bravely through the storm. You play the clarinet well. I slammed the door angrily. |
| Adverbs of Frequency describe how often something occurs. | Always Never Often Usually | I always double-check the lock. We never go out of town. He plays basketball often. They usually ask me to dog-sit. |
| Adverbs of Place describe where something occurs. | Inside Outside Everywhere Away | She went inside when it began to rain. The children played outside. We checked everywhere! Go away. |
| Adverbs of Time describe a definite time when something occurs | Now Then Today Tomorrow | Can you call me now? I wasn’t mad then. He’s stopping by today. What are you doing tomorrow? |
This article was written for strategiesforparents.com.
On top of the examples outlined above, there are many more adverbs out there for each category. By becoming more familiar with adverbs and how they function, you can increase the diversity and depth of your communicative approaches.
Final Thoughts
With a stronger understanding of the meaning and usage of “thus far,” you have more ways to discuss ongoing processes and various progress points. With this phrase, you can articulate what has or hasn’t happened yet and what you expect to happen soon.
Additionally, you now know that, on its own, the word “thus” can function as a conjunction to discuss direct consequences and results. Armed with this knowledge, you can continue to build your language repertoire with new and unique phrases.