Macmillan Holdings, LLC. Grammar Girl, Grammar Girl's, QDnow, and Quick and Dirty Tips are all trademarks of Macmillan Holdings, LLC.   Twilight from the Twilight and Thebes Show called in with this question. Miguel grammar It is my experience that thru is not simply an informal way to spell through. As it pertains to engineering, thru is used in place of through to denote actual physical significance or an actual physical process; while through is used otherwise. ex 1: Through the use of a chemical gradient...ions channel thru the salt bridge... ex 2: I looked through my notes. The water flows thru the pipe. I do not know if this is actually the case but it seems to be my experience. Additionally, even if it is used just as shorthand, it still appears in papers and journals, leading me to the conclusion that it is not exactly informal. http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/threw-through-thru.aspx?commentid=21244#Comments http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/threw-through-thru.aspx?commentid=21244#Comments Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:53:16 GMT Major Bett grammar In 1906, Teddy Roosevelt tried to make *thru and 300 other shorter more phonemic spellings part of the USGPO house style. Congress would not approve funds for any spelling which was not found in an establshed dictionary. Most of the words were already in the Funk & Wagnalls dictionary as variant spellings so this didn't have that much impact on the house style. The new spellings also saved a few 10ths of a cent per word per publication which isn't much but it adds up. There aren't many good reasons for not removing surplus letters and spelling words closer to the way they are spoken. thru-through tho-though ruf-rough However, a few 100 better spellings will not do much to reduce the ambiguity of written English. English always has a number of ways to spell the same sound and you usually have to learn all of them. IPA spelling patterns /'laIt/ = light-lite-lyte-lyt satellite+420 others, acolyte+20 For more discussions on spelling and pronunciation, Goggle "Saundspel" http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/threw-through-thru.aspx?commentid=20726#Comments http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/threw-through-thru.aspx?commentid=20726#Comments Tue, 03 Nov 2009 04:39:13 GMT Wizard grammar I am not 100% sure but I think you may have forgotten the word "of" in your sentence above. "They know I'm Grammar Girl at the local bookstore here in Reno and they actually gave me a little grief for buying this book, so maybe the best thing about it being one"-of-"the free options you can get when you sign up at Audible is that you can buy it online--privately!" http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/threw-through-thru.aspx?commentid=17760#Comments http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/threw-through-thru.aspx?commentid=17760#Comments Sun, 12 Jul 2009 07:20:57 GMT Robert grammar That was a very good explanation on thru. I have been using thru and through off and on for 40 years and I use them in whatever spelling looked right. Thanks for explaining it. http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/threw-through-thru.aspx?commentid=17584#Comments http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/threw-through-thru.aspx?commentid=17584#Comments Fri, 26 Jun 2009 17:29:15 GMT joyce grammar thanks for the informative lesson about thru and through and for easing my confusion. I'll sure be visiting your site more! http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/threw-through-thru.aspx?commentid=17458#Comments http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/threw-through-thru.aspx?commentid=17458#Comments Mon, 15 Jun 2009 04:22:38 GMT Amy grammar I don't understand AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/threw-through-thru.aspx?commentid=17196#Comments http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/threw-through-thru.aspx?commentid=17196#Comments Thu, 28 May 2009 23:31:22 GMT Allison grammar Hi Grammar Girl, I'm reworking my resume and a friend noted that I'd used "Though" an "By" interchangeably. When should one use one vs the other? thanks! Allison http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/threw-through-thru.aspx?commentid=17068#Comments http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/threw-through-thru.aspx?commentid=17068#Comments Wed, 20 May 2009 03:55:09 GMT Dasi grammar Grammar Girl! You were reading Twilight and you didn't pick up on the oddity that her name is spelled Stephenie? Oy Vey! Just kidding http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/threw-through-thru.aspx?commentid=16898#Comments http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/threw-through-thru.aspx?commentid=16898#Comments Fri, 08 May 2009 23:01:13 GMT Diesel grammar I just have to comment on the word IRREGARDLESS: Irregardless is a term meaning in spite of or anyway, that has caused controversy since it first appeared in the early twentieth century. It is generally listed in dictionaries as "incorrect" or "nonstandard". The origin of irregardless is not known for certain, but the consensus among references is that it is a blend of irrespective and regardless, both of which are commonly accepted standard English words. By blending these words, an illogical word is created. "Since the prefix ir- means 'not' (as it does with irrespective), and the suffix -less means 'without,' irregardless is a double negative."[1] http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/threw-through-thru.aspx?commentid=14982#Comments http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/threw-through-thru.aspx?commentid=14982#Comments Wed, 03 Dec 2008 20:38:23 GMT Liz grammar I know that "Thru" is commonly used in the practice of architecture. In Architecture, notes are always abbreviated or acroynms are used, but "Thru" is used even for city/legal documents and construction drawings. http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/threw-through-thru.aspx?commentid=14840#Comments http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/threw-through-thru.aspx?commentid=14840#Comments Wed, 26 Nov 2008 16:02:52 GMT Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:53:16 GMT http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/threw-through-thru.aspx feedback@quickanddirtytips.com (Managing Editor) feedback@quickanddirtytips.com (Webmaster) en-us