it was afterward when

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it was afterward when" is not correct in standard written English.
It is redundant because "afterward" already implies a time reference, making "when" unnecessary. Example: "It was afterward that I realized my mistake."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

It was afterward, when they edited the children out — all the kids just fell off the screen, except for Lance.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

It is afterward, when the former Steelers are introduced, that all the emotion spills out.

The New York Times - Magazine

Murphy said he did not realize how unusual it was until afterward, when he looked over to Wright at third base.

The New York Times - Sports

It's only afterward, when Bill gathers the various leaders (including Alby!) in the privacy of his home that people have a civil conversation.

Huffington Post

In a 1901 interview Tesla said: It was some time afterward when the thought flashed upon my mind that the disturbances I had observed might be due to an intelligent control.

Wikipedia

It was sung when Mandela was imprisoned, when he was freed in 1990, when he was President, and, afterward, in his retirement.

The New Yorker

I was hurt afterward when I read some of the comments online they said I didn't deserve my job, sometimes using nasty language and I carried that hurt with me.

Vice

But for the work to be any good, the writer's greatest libidinal pleasure must be discovered afterward: when the back-and-forth is over, and the recorder has stopped recording, and one is alone at the keyboard at last.

The New Yorker

On the other hand, drinking and eating were pointless afterward, when he just wanted to have a smoke and get home as quickly as possible.

The New Yorker

Although significant precursors were observed in both seismicity and crustal deformation, the 2007 eruption was only recognized afterward when ash was seen on top of snow during an on-site survey.

Earth, Planets and Space

It's the feeling when, afterward, one says, "The devil made me do it"; in Pixar's world, there's no sympathy for the devil.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "it was afterward when" in formal writing. The word "afterward" already implies a temporal relationship, making "when" redundant. Opt for constructions like "it was only afterward that" or simply use "afterward" to improve clarity and conciseness.

Common error

A common mistake is to include "when" after "afterward" due to the perceived need for a connecting word. However, "afterward" functions as an adverb indicating time, negating the need for "when". Remove "when" for a grammatically correct sentence.

Linguistic Context

The phrase functions as an adverbial clause intended to indicate a sequence of events. However, Ludwig AI indicates this construction is not correct in standard written English due to redundancy. The adverb "afterward" already denotes a time sequence, making the conjunction "when" unnecessary.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Wiki

33%

Science

34%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "it was afterward when" is generally considered grammatically incorrect due to the redundant use of "when". As Ludwig AI points out, "afterward" already signifies a time sequence. Therefore, adding "when" creates an unnecessary and grammatically flawed construction. To express a similar meaning, it's better to use constructions like "it was only afterward that", or, more simply, rephrase the sentence to use "afterward" on its own. Examples found by Ludwig show usage in various contexts, primarily News & Media, Wiki, and Science, but the presence of the grammatical error suggests careful review and correction are needed when encountering this phrase.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it was only afterward that

Simplifies the structure by removing "when" and using "that" to introduce the subsequent event.

it was later when

Replaces "afterward" with "later", providing a slightly different temporal focus while maintaining the sentence structure.

it was some time afterward when

Indicates a longer period of time passed before the subsequent event.

it was subsequently when

Substitutes "afterward" with "subsequently" to introduce a slightly more formal tone.

it was after that when

Rephrases to clarify the temporal sequence, emphasizing that the event happened after something else.

it happened afterward when

Adds emphasis by explicitly stating "it happened" before "afterward".

only afterward did

Changes the sentence structure for emphasis, highlighting that something was realized only after the event.

it transpired afterward when

Uses "transpired" for a more formal and less common way of saying "happened".

later, it was when

Inverts the sentence structure to place "later" at the beginning for emphasis.

it came to pass afterward when

Presents a more archaic or literary way to describe the sequence of events.

FAQs

Is "it was afterward when" grammatically correct?

No, the phrase "it was afterward when" is grammatically incorrect. The term "afterward" already implies a time sequence, making the use of "when" redundant. A correct alternative would be "it was only "it was afterward that"" or "afterward".

What's a better way to phrase "it was afterward when"?

Instead of "it was afterward when", consider using phrases like "it was later when", "subsequently", or "it was after that when" to express the sequence of events more clearly.

How can I avoid redundancy when using 'afterward'?

To avoid redundancy, use "afterward" on its own or restructure the sentence. For example, instead of "it was afterward when", you can say "afterward, [the event occurred]" or "it was only "it was afterward that" [the realization happened]".

What is the difference between "it was afterward when" and "it was afterward that"?

While both phrases aim to indicate a sequence, "it was afterward when" is grammatically incorrect due to the redundant use of "when". The correct version is ""it was afterward that"", which clearly and grammatically connects the preceding event with the subsequent realization or occurrence.