a following delay

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a following delay" is not correct in standard written English.
It is unclear and may confuse readers, as "following" typically refers to something that comes after, but it does not fit well with "delay." Example: "Due to a following delay, the meeting has been rescheduled."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

(a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i) Snapshots of the slip rate distribution during a sequence of a precursory S (pS) event and a following delayed cascade-up L (dcL) event for α = 3 and β = 3.

Progress in Earth and Planetary Science

In the airline industry, where passengers must make a claim for compensation following delays, an estimated 70% of those who have a right to a payout do not claim, according to a comparison website.

BBC

Developer Taff Vale Limited said in July that it was considering a new offer of investment following delays to the project.

BBC

A third of those being helped were children, and a third needed food following a delay in the payment of benefits.

BBC

The observations that the (apparent) threshold and the magnitude of the tail-flick reflex increased when the power increased [22], [23] fit the present proposal that a withdrawal is triggered following a delay Lβ once the threshold Tβ is reached.

Plosone

However, intriguingly, spine density did not decline immediately after the first appearance of a plaque, but rather following a delay of at least 4 weeks.

Acta Neuropathologica

After it had entered a goal arm, it was confined there for 30 s by closing a guillotine door, then following a delay of 1, 15 or 30 min, it was returned to the start arm with all doors raised.

Human Molecular Genetics

Children's ability to recognize and recall the word-pairs list following a delay is measured by the Delayed Recognition and Delayed Recall subscales, respectively.

Child Neuropsychology

Pseudopod projection after exposure to a step fluid shear occurs following a delay that is insensitive to the shear stress amplitude and duration.

Biophysical Journal

Snow put the Sixers up by 96-91 with a free throw, following a delay-of-game technical, and he made one of two after being fouled.

The New York Times - Sports

Children's ability to recall the array of dots following a delay is measured by the Delayed Recall subscale.

Child Neuropsychology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "a following delay" in formal writing. Opt for clearer alternatives like "a subsequent delay" or "an ensuing delay" to ensure grammatical correctness and clarity.

Common error

Ensure that the adjective correctly modifies "delay" to clearly express the sequence of events. Incorrectly phrasing it can obscure the intended meaning and lead to confusion for the reader. Instead of "a following delay", consider "a subsequent delay" or "a delay that followed".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a following delay" attempts to act as an adjective phrase modifying a noun, but it does not conform to standard English grammar. Ludwig AI suggests that it's not correct in written English. Better alternatives exist, such as "a subsequent delay."

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Science

0%

News & Media

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Formal & Business

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a following delay" is deemed grammatically incorrect by Ludwig AI. While the intention is to describe a delay that happens after something else, its usage deviates from standard English. It's best practice to opt for alternatives like "a subsequent delay" or "an ensuing delay" to ensure clarity and grammatical correctness, especially in formal writing. Although it appears in a variety of source types according to Ludwig, the lack of frequency and the assessment of the phrase as grammatically incorrect suggests caution in adopting this wording.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a subsequent delay

Replaces "following" with "subsequent", indicating a delay that comes after something else in time.

a later delay

Uses "later" as a simpler substitute for "following", denoting a delay at a later time.

an ensuing delay

Replaces "following" with "ensuing", suggesting a delay that immediately follows something.

a resulting delay

Focuses on the delay as a consequence or result of a previous action or event.

a consequent delay

Similar to "resulting delay", highlighting the consequential nature of the delay.

a delay thereafter

Uses "thereafter" to indicate that the delay happens after a specific point in time.

a delay afterwards

Similar to "delay thereafter", using "afterwards" to denote the temporal sequence.

a delay after that

A more conversational alternative, specifying "after that" to indicate the sequence.

a delay subsequently

Uses the adverb "subsequently" to clarify the timing of the delay.

a delay in consequence

Emphasizes that the delay is a direct result or effect of a prior event.

FAQs

What can I say instead of "a following delay"?

You can use alternatives like "a subsequent delay", "an ensuing delay", or "a later delay" depending on the context.

Why is "a following delay" considered grammatically questionable?

While the individual words are correct, their combination is awkward and doesn't conform to standard English phrasing. "Following" is better used as a preposition or verb, not as an adjective directly preceding "delay" in this context. Using "subsequent delay" or similar alternatives creates a smoother, more natural flow.

How do I use "a subsequent delay" correctly in a sentence?

Use it to indicate a delay that occurs after a specific event or action. For example: "Due to the initial error, there was a subsequent delay in the project's completion."

Which is correct, "a following delay" or "a subsequent delay"?

"A subsequent delay" is more grammatically correct and widely accepted than "a following delay". The former clearly indicates a delay that occurs after something else.