soon afterwards

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'soon afterwards' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use the phrase when you want to express the idea that something happened shortly after another event. For example: "The dog barked ferociously, and soon afterwards the postman ran away in fear."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Soon afterwards he resigned.

The New Yorker

They divorced soon afterwards.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

They married soon afterwards.

The Guardian

Murdoch departed soon afterwards.

The Guardian - Books

She collapses theatrically soon afterwards.

The Economist

Soon afterwards Eddie committed suicide.

The New Yorker

Soon afterwards the rapes begin.

Independent

That was dropped soon afterwards.

Independent

Sewell left Christie's soon afterwards.

Independent

Virgin dropped him soon afterwards.

Independent

The madness started soon afterwards.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "soon afterwards" to clearly indicate a temporal sequence where the second event happens shortly after the first, providing a sense of immediacy.

Common error

Don't use "soon afterwards" when the time frame between events is not relatively short or clearly defined, as this can create confusion for the reader. Be specific if a longer period elapsed.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "soon afterwards" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb or clause to indicate when an action occurred in relation to a previous event. Ludwig AI examples show its primary function is to establish a temporal sequence.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

52%

Wiki

22%

Science

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

5%

Reference

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the adverbial phrase "soon afterwards" effectively denotes that one event occurred not long after another. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and its wide adoption in various contexts, especially in news media and general knowledge articles, to establish clear temporal relationships. When writing, keep in mind that while common and versatile, "soon afterwards" is best used when precision matters; if the gap is not truly 'soon', alternatives may offer better clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

shortly thereafter

Formal alternative, suggesting a slightly more immediate sequence.

shortly after that

Similar in meaning, but slightly less formal.

immediately following that

Emphasizes the direct and immediate sequence of events.

directly after

Focuses on the immediate succession of events.

in short order

Indicates that something happened quickly and efficiently after something else.

before long

Implies that not much time passed before the subsequent event.

presently

Formal term indicating something happened without much delay.

on the heels of

Suggests the second event closely followed the first.

in due course

Suggests that something happened at the appropriate time after an event.

by and by

Implies a gradual passage of time before the next event.

FAQs

How can I use "soon afterwards" in a sentence?

Use "soon afterwards" to connect two events that happened in quick succession, for example: "The rain started, and "soon afterwards", the sun came out".

What are some alternatives to "soon afterwards"?

You can use alternatives such as "shortly thereafter", "immediately following that", or "shortly after that" depending on the context.

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

Yes, "soon after" is also correct and often interchangeable with "soon afterwards", though "soon afterwards" can sometimes emphasize the sequence more directly.

What's the difference between "soon afterwards" and "later"?

"Soon afterwards" implies a shorter time frame and a more direct connection between events, whereas "later" is more general and doesn't necessarily suggest a close temporal relationship.