Soon afterwards

USAGE SUMMARY

"soon afterwards" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is typically used to indicate that something took place after a short interval of time following something else, such as in the sentence: "The meeting ended abruptly, and soon afterwards, everyone had left the room."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Soon afterwards he resigned.

The New Yorker

Soon afterwards Cole departed.

The Guardian - Sport

Soon afterwards both collapsed.

The Guardian

Soon afterwards Eddie committed suicide.

The New Yorker

Soon afterwards the rapes begin.

Independent

Soon afterwards, it shut down.

The Guardian

Soon afterwards she was adopted.

The Guardian - Books

Soon afterwards, Peppino was murdered.

The Guardian - Film

Soon afterwards, fighting broke out again.

The Economist

Soon afterwards the five women walked out.

The New Yorker

Soon afterwards he became battalion executive officer.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "Soon afterwards" to clearly indicate a temporal relationship between two events, ensuring that the time interval is perceived as relatively short. Consider using alternative phrases to subtly vary your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "Soon afterwards" when the time gap between events is significant, as this can mislead the reader. Opt for phrases like "Later" or "Eventually" to indicate a longer time span.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "Soon afterwards" functions as an adverbial phrase of time. It modifies a verb or clause to specify when an action occurred in relation to a previous event. Ludwig AI confirms the correctness and usability of this phrase.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

55%

Wiki

15%

Science

15%

Less common in

Academia

10%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "Soon afterwards" is a versatile adverbial phrase that effectively conveys a temporal sequence, indicating a short interval between two events. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically correct and widely used across various contexts, particularly in news and media. While maintaining a neutral register, consider alternative phrases to achieve subtle variations in meaning. Pay attention to the time frame you want to communicate to avoid misleading the reader. By following these best practices, you can confidently incorporate "Soon afterwards" into your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Shortly after

Implies a slightly shorter time interval than "Soon afterwards".

Not long after

A more conversational way of saying that something happened soon after.

Subsequently

A more formal term indicating that something happened at a later time.

Thereafter

A formal term indicating that something happened after that event.

Immediately following

Emphasizes the direct and almost instantaneous succession of events.

Following that

A simple and direct way of indicating the sequence of events.

Presently

Indicates occurrence after short passage of time.

In short order

Indicates that something happened quickly and efficiently after something else.

In the wake of

Suggests that something happened as a direct result of the prior event.

In due course

Suggests that events unfolded naturally and predictably after a certain period.

FAQs

How can I use "Soon afterwards" in a sentence?

You can use "Soon afterwards" to connect two events that occurred in close succession, such as, "The rain stopped, and "soon afterwards", the sun came out."

What's a more formal alternative to "Soon afterwards"?

Alternatives like "subsequently" or "thereafter" are suitable for more formal writing.

What can I say instead of "Soon afterwards" to imply a shorter time frame?

If you want to indicate an even shorter time frame, consider using "shortly after" or "immediately following".

Is there a difference between "Soon afterwards" and "Later"?

"Soon afterwards" implies a short time interval between two events, whereas "Later" simply indicates that something happened at a subsequent time without specifying the length of the interval.