If you've typed either "in regard to" or "in regards to" in a business email, you're not alone. Both phrases appear constantly in professional writing. Only one is correct, though, and the difference matters more than you might expect. The phrase in regard to is the standard form. "In regards to" is a grammatical error, and it's one that signals carelessness to editors, hiring managers, and senior colleagues who notice these things.
Why "in regard to" is correct
"Regard" in this phrase functions as a noun meaning "relation" or "reference." The construction "in regard to" is a fixed prepositional phrase, and in fixed prepositional phrases, nouns don't take a plural form just because the context feels broad or indefinite. You wouldn't write "in respects to" or "in references to," and the same logic applies here.
The phrase has been standard in formal English for centuries. Style guides including the Chicago Manual of Style and Garner's Modern English Usage both list "in regards to" as an error. That's not a minor quibble. It's a consistent ruling across the authoritative sources most professional writers cite.
The plural creeps in because "regards" legitimately exists in other contexts. You send "kind regards" at the end of a letter. You might ask someone to "give my regards" to a colleague. Those uses are correct. But "regards" in those contexts is a different word doing a different job. It doesn't carry over into the prepositional phrase "in regard to."
What about "with regard to" and "with regards to"?
The same rule applies. "With regard to" is correct. "With regards to" is an error. Both phrases mean the same thing as "in regard to," and both are sometimes used interchangeably in formal documents, legal writing, and business correspondence.
There is one small exception worth knowing. "With regards" (without the word "to") is acceptable in a closing salutation, as in "with warm regards" or "with best regards." That's a distinct construction, not a prepositional phrase pointing at a topic. Don't confuse the two.
Alternatives that often read better
Here's something worth considering: "in regard to" is correct, but it's also wordy. In most business writing, a shorter alternative communicates the same thing with less friction. Consider replacing it with one of these:
- About ("I'm writing about your recent invoice")
- Regarding ("Regarding your recent invoice")
- Concerning ("Concerning the proposal deadline")
- On ("On the question of pricing")
"Regarding" is the cleanest substitute and the one most style guides recommend when you want a formal tone without the extra words. It's especially common in email subject lines and memo headers. If you find yourself writing "in regard to the matter of," stop. Cut it to "regarding" and move on.
Choosing the right preposition in phrases like these is a recurring challenge in professional writing. The same precision applies to other common constructions, like knowing when to use congratulations "on" versus "for", where the wrong choice quietly changes meaning.
Common mistakes and how they happen
Writers typically produce "in regards to" for one of three reasons. First, they're working from speech, where "regards" sounds natural and no one corrects it in conversation. Second, they confuse the prepositional phrase with the closing salutation where "regards" is plural and correct. Third, autocorrect and grammar checkers don't always flag it, so the error slips through unchallenged.
Tools like Grammarly will sometimes catch "in regards to" as a usage error, but not always. Don't rely on software to catch every preposition problem. Know the rule.
It's worth noting that "as regards" is also a legitimate formal phrase ("as regards the budget, no decision has been made"). That's a third construction, distinct from both "in regard to" and the salutation use. English preposition idioms don't follow a single tidy rule, which is exactly why these phrases cause so much confusion.
Quick reference: the three forms
To keep it simple, here's how each form works in practice:
- In regard to: correct prepositional phrase. Use it when you need formal language pointing at a subject.
- In regards to: incorrect. Replace it with "in regard to," "regarding," or "about."
- With regards (no "to"): correct only in closing salutations, not as a preposition.
Picking the right word in situations like this is the same instinct that separates polished business writing from writing that just gets the job done. It also connects to broader questions about formal phrasing. If you're examining phrases that sound professional but sometimes undermine your credibility, the analysis of what "duly noted" actually signals in professional contexts is a useful companion read.
The bottom line
Use "in regard to." Drop the S. Better yet, replace the whole phrase with "regarding" and save three words. The error is common enough that readers who know the rule will notice it. They'll notice the correction too, and that's the impression worth making.