Page 638 - Practical English Usage 3ed - Michael Swan, Oxford

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'I wanna hold your hand'
In informal speech, want to often sounds like 'wanna'. It is sometimes spelt like this in order to represent conversational pronunciation - for example in comic strips.
For to used instead of a whole infinitive (e.g. 1don't want to, tluznla), see 182. For want and will, see 629.8.
-ward(s)
Backward(s), forward(s) , northward(s), outward(s) and similar words can be used as adjectives or adverbs.
adjectives
When they are used as adjectives, they do not have -so This country is very backward in some ways.
You're not allowed to make a forward pass in rugby. He was last seen driving in a northward direction.
adverbs
When these words are adverbs, they can generally be used with or without -so The forms with -s are generally a little more common in British English, and the forms without -s in American English.
Why are you moving backward(s) andforward(s)? If we keep going upward(s) we must get to the top. Let's start driving homeward(s).
In some figurative expressions such as look forward to, bring forward, put forward, the form without -s is always used.
[look forward to hearing from you.
She put forward a very interesting suggestion.
other words
Towards and afterwards are the usual forms in British English; in American English, toward and afterward are also common.
way
preposition dropped
In an informal style, we usually drop the prepositions in or by before way. You're doing it (in) the wrong way. Come this way.
Do it (in) any way you like. We went there the usual way. relative structures
In an informal style, we often say the way (that) instead of the way in/by which.
[don't like the way (that) you talk to me. Let's go the way (that) we went yesterday.
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