after very long

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "after very long" is not correct in standard written English.
It can be used to indicate a significant duration of time that has passed before something occurs, but it typically requires additional context or modification for clarity. Example: "After very long waiting, the results were finally announced."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

23 human-written examples

Anti-GA antibodies were detected even after very long treatment periods, although at lower levels.

Journal of Neuroimmunology

"We reached this agreement after very long and painful negotiations," Mr. bin Karubi said.

The New York Times

"A lot of these guys are coming back after very long periods of heavy training.

The Guardian - Sport

C. dactylon can survive after very long periods of submergence, and using local species to restore vegetation can prevent the introduction of invasive species.

Ecological Engineering

But it paid off, because this week I've walked off the court after very long matches and not felt tired at all.

Independent

Fretting fatigue process have many features such as early stage crack initiation at contact edge, very slow crack propagation and fatigue failure after very long life operation of machinery.

Tribology International

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

37 human-written examples

Mesoporous TiO2 nanocrystals were prepared by a simple and fast hydrolytic process, in the presence of tetrabutylammonium bromide surfactant, and their ambient temperature electrochemical behaviour as high-rate Li-ion battery anodes was successfully demonstrated even after very long-term cycling (>1000 cycles).

Acta Materialia

It is well known that bedrocks form erosional plains in Australia after very long-term erosion on the stable continent.

Progress in Earth and Planetary Science

A single previous report has proposed that the extensive culturing of NPCs [22] [27] might select for aggressive cell clones but only after very long-term culture [27].

Plosone

OPN has been shown to be over-expressed in obese adipose tissue and adipose tissue macrophages from rodents and humans [20], [27] and is important for insulin resistance and adipose tissue macrophage infiltration after very long-term HFD (25 weeks) [15].

Plosone

He'll be taking time off after a very long stretch of work, building and scaling Quora (after building and scaling Facebook).

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When referring to an extended duration, prefer using grammatically sound alternatives like "after a long time" or "following a lengthy period" for clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "after very long" as it is grammatically awkward. Instead, opt for phrases that clearly convey the intended duration and adhere to standard English grammar.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "after very long" functions as a prepositional phrase indicating a time relationship. However, it's considered grammatically incorrect. As Ludwig AI points out, standard alternatives are recommended.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

48%

News & Media

44%

Wiki

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "after very long" is grammatically questionable despite its relatively frequent appearance in various sources. Ludwig AI considers the phrase incorrect and it's more appropriate to use alternatives like "after a long time", "following a lengthy period", or other similar constructions that adhere to standard English grammar. While the meaning is generally understood, using grammatically correct alternatives ensures clarity and enhances the credibility of your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

after a considerable time

Replaces "very long" with a more formal synonym, emphasizing the duration.

following an extended period

Uses a more formal phrasing with "extended period" instead of "very long".

after a protracted duration

Substitutes "very long" with "protracted duration", adding a sense of drawn-out time.

after a good while

Provides a more informal alternative, suggesting a significant but undefined amount of time.

after ages

Uses an idiomatic expression to convey a very long time, adding a touch of exaggeration.

following a lengthy delay

Replaces "very long" with "lengthy delay", focusing on the aspect of postponement.

after what seemed like forever

Emphasizes the subjective feeling of time passing slowly.

eventually

Simplifies the phrase to a single word indicating that something happened after an unspecified time.

in the fullness of time

A more poetic phrase that suggests an event occurred after a considerable and appropriate amount of time.

subsequently

Indicates something happening after a certain period without specifying its length.

FAQs

How can I correctly express a significant duration before an event?

Instead of "after very long", use more standard phrases like "after a long time", "following a lengthy period", or "after a considerable duration".

What phrases are similar to "after very long" but sound more natural?

Consider using alternatives such as "after a considerable time", "following an extended period", or "eventually".

Is "after very long" grammatically correct?

No, "after very long" is not considered grammatically correct in standard English. It's better to use alternatives like "after a long time".

What's a more formal way to say "after very long"?

For formal contexts, use phrases such as "following an extended period" or "after a protracted duration" instead of "after very long".