When you have named exactly two things, former points back to the first one and latter to the second. "We considered Lisbon and Porto; the former is bigger, but the latter is cheaper" — Lisbon is bigger, Porto is cheaper. Use them only when there are two items and the order is unmistakable.
How the pair works
These words are shorthand. Rather than repeating two names, you refer to their position in the sentence you have just written. That saves words but relies entirely on your reader holding the order in mind.
- "The role needs patience and speed. The former can be taught; the latter cannot." (patience can be taught)
- "She writes both novels and criticism, though the latter pays better." (criticism pays better)
The test
Match the first letters. Former goes with first; latter goes with last. Then run a swap check: replace former and latter with the actual nouns and read the sentence back. If it no longer says what you meant, your order has slipped — a genuinely common error when a sentence has been edited after it was drafted.
The rule people break
Former and latter work with two items only. With three or more, they leave the reader guessing about the middle, so switch to the first, the second and the last. Writers also stretch latter to cover "the last two of three", which is muddled — name them instead.
The other honest caveat: these words make readers work. Referring back forces them to reread the earlier clause. If the two items are more than a line apart, or if either is a long phrase, repeating the nouns is clearer and costs almost nothing. Formal and academic writing uses the pair happily; plain-English guidance generally advises against it.
Other senses of each word
Former also means previous or one-time, in front of a noun: "a former colleague", "the former prime minister". That sense has nothing to do with lists and is far more common in everyday speech.
Latter also means the later part of a span: "the latter half of the century", "the latter stages of the tournament". Do not confuse this with later, one t, which means afterwards in time — "I'll call you later". Latter is never a comparative of late; that is later.
Finally, latter pairs naturally with former, but you can use one without the other: "the latter option seems safer" is fine on its own if only two options are on the table.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use former and latter with three things?
No. They identify only a first and a second item, so with three or more the middle one has no label. Write "the first", "the second" and "the last" instead.
Is it "latter" or "later" in "the latter half of the year"?
Latter, with two t's. It means the second half. "Later" with one t means at a subsequent time, as in "later that year".
Does "former" always mean the first of two?
No. In front of a noun it means previous — "a former teacher", "her former address". The first-of-two meaning applies only when it stands in for something already named.