9.13 'former' and 'latter'

When you have just referred separately to two things or groups of things, you can refer to the first one as 'the former' and the second one as 'the latter'. These expressions are used mainly in formal English.

• It used to be said that the oil exporting countries depended on the oil importing countries just as much as the latter depended on the former.
• I could do one of two things --- obey him or get my own protection. I chose the latter.

'Former' and 'latter' can also be attributive adjectives.

• The Gallery must be given a full chapter or just a brief paragraph, and space forbids the former alternative.
• Guy had studied classics and philosophy at Oxford and always felt a sort of lingering interest in the latter subject.