after carefully

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "after carefully" is correct and usable in written English.
Generally it is used to indicate that something has happened or will happen after a certain action has been completed with great attention to detail. For example, "After carefully studying all the evidence, the jury returned a guilty verdict."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

What remains is going to have to be looked after carefully.

The Guardian

Politicians certainly have the option to "change their minds" after carefully reconsidering matters of importance.

The New York Times

"Oh, O.K.," he says, closing the door after carefully placing the meat back.

The New York Times

We want to properly consider our country's response after carefully examining the contents of the ruling".

Independent

After carefully considering the historical sources, singers and conductors today should do the same.

The New York Times

After carefully studying the booklet, though, I realized that it was descriptive rather than prescriptive.

The New Yorker

After carefully smashing each of these with hammers, they tossed them into the pit.

The Economist

But first our hypotheses are constructed only after carefully reading our peers' work.

The Guardian

Our group's members have chosen to speak out after carefully evaluating each candidate's stance on national security matters.

The New York Times

This decision was made after carefully reassessing the current needs of the company.

TechCrunch

After carefully removing the nanofibers from the nanopores, TEM revealed their morphology.

Polymer

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "after carefully", ensure that the verb following it reflects the type of evaluation or action undertaken. For instance, "after carefully considering", "after carefully examining", or "after carefully reviewing".

Common error

Avoid ambiguity by placing "after carefully" directly before the verb it modifies. Ensure the reader clearly understands which action was performed carefully.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "after carefully" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb to indicate the manner in which the action is performed. Ludwig shows numerous examples where it precedes a verb, such as "after carefully considering" or "after carefully reviewing", emphasizing the thoroughness of the preceding action.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

31%

News & Media

41%

Wiki

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the adverbial phrase "after carefully" is a grammatically correct and frequently used expression to emphasize thoroughness and deliberation before an action or decision. As Ludwig confirms, it appears commonly in both news and media, and scientific contexts, exhibiting a neutral to formal register. It's important to avoid misplaced modifiers to maintain clarity. Consider using alternatives such as "following a careful" assessment or "subsequent to a thorough" review to add variety to your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

following a careful

Replaces "after" with "following", emphasizing the sequence of events, and requires a noun after "careful".

following a considered

Similar to "following a careful", but uses "considered" to emphasize thoughtfulness.

only after thorough

Adds emphasis on the necessity of thoroughness before the subsequent action can occur.

subsequent to a thorough

Uses more formal vocabulary ("subsequent", "thorough") to convey a similar meaning but elevates the tone.

after giving due consideration

Expands the phrase to explicitly state that consideration was given, adding emphasis to the thoughtfulness.

once a meticulous

Replaces "after" with "once", indicating a point in time, and "carefully" with "meticulous", emphasizing precision.

having attentively

Highlights the attentiveness involved in the action that precedes the subsequent event.

upon close

Offers a concise way to express careful consideration, focusing on the act of close examination.

post a diligent

Uses "post" as a prefix to indicate 'after', paired with "diligent" to highlight the effort.

with due

Emphasizes the appropriate level of care and attention given to a task.

FAQs

How can I use "after carefully" in a sentence?

Use "after carefully" to show that an action follows a period of thorough and attentive consideration. For example, "After carefully reviewing the data, we made a decision."

What phrases are similar to "after carefully"?

Alternatives include "following a careful" assessment, "subsequent to a thorough" review, or "once a meticulous" examination.

What part of speech is "after carefully"?

"After carefully" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb to indicate how an action is performed.

Is it better to use "after careful" or "after carefully"?

"After carefully" is the correct phrasing because "carefully" is an adverb modifying the verb that follows. "After careful" is grammatically incorrect in this context.