came after

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "came after" is a perfectly acceptable part of a sentence in written English.
You would use the phrase when talking about the order or sequence of events. For example: "The watermelon farm came after the apple orchard in the list of produce."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

They came AFTER we invaded.

The New York Times

"She came after me.

The New Yorker

He came after us.

The New York Times - Sports

It came after a….

The New Yorker

WHO came after Wittgenstein?

The Economist

It came after me.

The New Yorker

What came after confounded investors.

The New York Times

The law came after that.

The New Yorker

Reaction came after his death.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

2 human-written examples

They come after you".

The New York Times

What comes after that?

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "came after" to clearly establish chronological order in narratives, reports, or analyses. This helps readers understand the sequence of events and their relationships.

Common error

Avoid using "came after" when you intend to convey a causal relationship. While sequential, the phrase doesn't inherently imply that the earlier event caused the later one. Use more direct causal language if that's your intent.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "came after" functions primarily as a temporal marker, indicating that an event or entity existed or occurred subsequent to another. As supported by Ludwig, this usage is grammatically sound and widely accepted in English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Encyclopedias

30%

Science

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Academia

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "came after" serves as a straightforward and widely accepted method to establish temporal sequence, as confirmed by Ludwig. It's grammatically sound and appropriate for a broad range of contexts, from news reporting to scientific writing. While it excels at indicating order, remember to use more explicit language when you need to convey a cause-and-effect relationship. Remember that according to Ludwig, alternative phrases like "followed" or "ensued" may be suitable alternatives, depending on the specific nuance you aim to express.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

followed

This single word denotes the same sequential relationship with less emphasis.

came next

Specifies the position in a sequence.

ensued

Implies a natural consequence or immediate result of a previous event.

occurred subsequently

Formally denotes that one event happened later in time than another.

arose afterwards

Highlights the emergence or appearance of something after a specific point.

took place later

Simply indicates a difference in timing, that something happened at a later time.

emerged subsequently

Highlights the fact of something becoming visible or known at a later time.

supervened

Describes something unexpected that occurs later and changes an existing situation.

postdated

Focuses on time, establishing something as having occurred at a later date.

resulted from

Emphasizes the cause and effect relationship, indicating that one thing was a consequence of another.

FAQs

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

Use "came after" to indicate that something happened or existed at a later time than something else. For example, "The invention of the printing press "came after" the development of written language".

What are some alternatives to using "came after"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "followed", "ensued", or "occurred subsequently" to express a similar meaning.

Is it correct to say "came after than"?

No, the correct phrasing is "came after". The word "than" is not needed because "after" already establishes the comparison in time.

What's the difference between "came after" and "resulted from"?

"Came after" indicates a sequence in time, while "resulted from" indicates a cause-and-effect relationship. While an event that "came after" another might be a consequence, the phrase itself doesn't guarantee a causal link.