Following years

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "Following years" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to refer to the years that come after a specific event or time period. Example: "Following years saw significant changes in the industry." Alternative expressions include "Subsequent years" and "The years that followed."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Following years of skirmishes others had scores to settle, too.

The Economist

Following years of human degradation, sites in this area are now being restored.

Ecological Indicators

Many other countries followed this example in the following years.

Wikipedia

His game progressed over the following years.

Encyclopedia Britannica

In following years, options issuance soared.

The New York Times

Horror piled upon horror over the following years.

The Guardian

Alcatel returned to profitability in the following years.

The New York Times

It warned of high deficits in the following years.

The New York Times

Indeed, sales of American cars soared in the following years.

The New York Times

The male relatives are DNA swabbed in following years.

The Guardian

Such measures were sporadically repeated in the following years.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase to start a sentence describing a duration of effort or struggle, omit the article: ""Following years" of negotiation, a deal was struck."

Common error

Avoid using "Following years" when you actually mean "For many years". If you are describing a continuous action that happened over a long time without a clear starting event, use "for years" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "Following years" primarily functions as a temporal modifier or a prepositional phrase. According to Ludwig, it is often used to establish a timeline relative to a previously mentioned event. It can act as a sentence starter to describe a duration (e.g., "Following years of conflict") or as a specific time reference (e.g., "the following years").

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Science

30%

Encyclopedias

15%

Less common in

Wiki

7%

Formal & Business

2%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "Following years" is a versatile and grammatically correct phrase widely supported by Ludwig AI's database of high-quality sources. Whether you are writing a scientific paper, a news article, or a historical narrative, this phrase effectively transitions your readers through time. For the most professional impact, remember to use the definite article when referring to a specific chronological slot and to omit it when describing a preceding duration of effort. If you need more variety in your prose, consider using subsequent years for a formal touch or "the years that followed" for a more fluid, narrative style.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Subsequent years

A more formal alternative often used in academic and technical writing.

The years that followed

Better for narrative or storytelling contexts to create a smoother flow.

Ensuing years

Adds a slightly more literary or sophisticated tone.

Succeeding years

Emphasizes the chronological order in a formal manner.

The next several years

More specific about the quantity of time passing.

Later years

Less specific about the immediate sequence; can refer to a general later period.

Years thereafter

A highly formal, almost legalistic way to describe subsequent time.

Coming years

Often used when looking forward from the current point in time.

Following decades

Expands the time scale from years to ten-year periods.

Future years

Refers to time that hasn't happened yet relative to the present.

FAQs

How do I use "following years" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe what happened after a specific event, for example: "The company grew significantly in the "following years"." or ""Following years" of research, the scientists found a cure."

What is a more formal way to say "following years"?

In formal or academic contexts, you might prefer to use "subsequent years" or "the ensuing years".

Is it "the following years" or just "following years"?

Both are correct but used differently. Use "the "the following years"" as a noun phrase (e.g., "the following years were difficult"). Use ""Following years"" at the start of a sentence as a prepositional phrase meaning "after several years" (e.g., "Following years of debate...").

Can I say "years following" instead?

Yes, but it usually requires an object, such as "the "years following the war"". On its own, "Following years" is the more standard idiomatic choice.