after

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "after" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to something that happens later in time or at the end of a sequence of events. For example, "After dinner, we went for a walk."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

After all, you just go to an emergency room".

The New York Times

Referred to in court as D, she entered a not guilty plea to a charge of intimidation last week while wearing a niqab after the judge backed down from a previous decision that she would have to show her face to be properly identified.

The Guardian

"We lose core user after core user by not addressing simple trolling issues that they face every day".

The Guardian - Tech

But we'll know much more after the other side goes because arguments are often one-sided like this half way through.

The New York Times

Forbes ranks it as the second-largest private company in the country, after Cargill, and its consistent profitability has made David and Charles Koch—who, years ago, bought out two other brothers—among the richest men in America.

The Economist

The palace source added: "It is the tradition now that after the general election the Queen is at Windsor until such a time as someone is able to form a new government.

The Guardian

After Buhari lost to Jonathan in 2011, 800 people died and 65,000 were forced from their homes by riots in the north.

The Guardian

The future of Barack Obama's signature healthcare reforms hangs in the balance after facing a rigorous challenge from conservative justices on the supreme court.

The Guardian

MPs and peers laughed as Merkel, who recalled her first visit to London in the spring of 1990 shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall, said those expecting a "fundamental reform of the European architecture" in Britain's direction would be disappointed.

The Guardian

After being married for over 37 years, I showed extremely poor judgment by engaging in an extramarital affair.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

As part of the UK's largest after-hours cultural festival, more than 500 museums, galleries and heritage sites across the country are turning nocturnal this weekend, inviting the public to experience their collections and history after dark.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "after" as a conjunction, ensure the clause it introduces clearly indicates the sequence of events to avoid ambiguity. For example: "After the meeting, please submit your reports promptly."

Common error

Avoid placing the "after" clause in a way that creates confusion about the timing of events. For example, instead of "Calling the client after reviewing the documents is essential", try "After reviewing the documents, call the client."

Linguistic Context

"After" serves as a versatile grammatical element, functioning as a preposition (e.g., after the game), an adverb (e.g., lived happily ever after), and a conjunction (e.g., after we decided). As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it is a correct and widely usable term in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

95%

Formal & Business

2%

Science

1%

Less common in

Wiki

0.5%

Encyclopedias

0.5%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "after" functions effectively as a preposition, adverb, and conjunction, primarily serving to establish temporal relationships. As Ludwig AI validates, it's grammatically sound and widely used. The phrase sees very common usage in News & Media, but is also present in Formal & Business and Scientific writing. When using "after", ensure clarity by positioning the clause correctly and considering alternatives like "subsequently" or "following" for varied expression.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

afterward

Functions as an adverb meaning at a later time; interchangeable with "after" in many contexts.

following

Emphasizes the sequential order, similar to "after" when used as a preposition or conjunction.

subsequently

Indicates a later time or event, similar to "after" but often implies a more formal or distant relationship.

succeeding

Emphasizes the chronological order of events, similar to "after" when used to describe a series of occurrences.

later

A simpler and more general term for indicating a point in time that comes "after" a reference point.

thereafter

Indicates a time following a specified event, often used in formal or legal contexts.

in the wake of

Implies a consequence or result happening "after" an event, often with a negative connotation.

then

Indicates sequence or consequence, similar to "after" in denoting what comes next.

post

A prefix indicating something occurring "after" a specific event or time.

upon

Indicates something occurring immediately "after" or as a direct result of something else.

FAQs

How do I use "after" as a preposition?

Use "after" as a preposition to indicate something happening subsequently to a specific time or event. For example, "We will discuss the project "after lunch"."

What are some alternatives to using "after" as a conjunction?

Instead of "after", you can use alternatives like "once", "as soon as", or "following" to connect clauses and show a sequence of events.

Is it correct to say "afterwards" instead of "after"?

"Afterwards" is an adverb meaning "at a later time". While it can often replace "after" in certain contexts, it's not interchangeable in all cases, especially when "after" functions as a preposition. For example, "We went home afterwards" is correct, but "afterwards the game" is not.

What's the difference between "after" and "following"?

"Following" often implies a more direct or immediate sequence than "after". While both can indicate what comes next, "following" can also suggest adherence or imitation, which "after" doesn't typically convey.