For most words that end in <ward> or <wards> the pronunciation is wəd(z). Examples:
backward(s) forward(s) inward(s) onward(s)
However, the words toward and towards are stressed on the final syllable and are pronounced təˈwɔːd and təˈwɔːdz. Sometimes you will hear them pronounced without the ə, so twɔːd and twɔːdz and even without the w — tɔːd and tɔːdz.
2013_09_02