very later

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "very later" is not correct in written English.
It is likely a mistaken combination of "very" and "later," which should not be used together in this context. Example: "I will call you back very later" should be corrected to "I will call you back much later."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

"All the surviving portraits of him – even the very later ones with humped backs and things which were obviously later additions – facially are quite similar [to each other] so it has always been assumed that they were based on a contemporary portrait painted in his lifetime or possibly several portraits painted in his lifetime," said historian and author John Ashdown-Hill.

Independent

The disappointing IPOs of venture-backed unicorns like Blue Apron, Cloudera and Tintri could also stifle enthusiasm at the very later stages.

TechCrunch

As Very later explained, "I felt within me a new will... it was not a feeling of my own but a sensible will that was not my own.

Wikipedia

If you do "not" have them often, you may want to wait until the very later carnival for this.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

Additionally, 18F-FCH biodistribution changes very slowly later than 10 min after i.v. injection [61].

EJNMMI Research

"If you do not, you will pay very heavily later.

The Guardian

Mr. Bannon came on very much later than that.

The New Yorker

Eucalyptus trees were introduced to Palestine very much later".

The New York Times

Only later and for some it was very much later or never was liberation actually liberating".

Encyclopedia Britannica

Mal's wider story also involves a coerced confession, which will prove very helpful later.

The New York Times - Books

Josie was somebody I got to know very well later on.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "very later" in formal writing. Opt for more standard phrases like "much later" or "a lot later" for clearer and more professional communication.

Common error

Don't rely on "very" to intensify adverbs like "later". While "very" works well with adjectives, it's often grammatically awkward with adverbs. Instead, choose stronger adverbs or rephrase the sentence for better clarity and impact.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "very later" functions as an adverbial phrase, aiming to modify a verb by specifying when an action occurs. However, as pointed out by Ludwig AI, its use is non-standard and generally considered grammatically incorrect.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Wiki

25%

Science

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

10%

Formal & Business

5%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "very later" is generally considered grammatically incorrect in standard English. Although it appears in a few sources, as Ludwig AI pointed out, it is not recommended for formal writing. More appropriate and grammatically sound alternatives include "much later" or "a lot later". The infrequent and questionable nature of the phrase makes it advisable to avoid "very later" in most contexts to maintain clarity and professionalism.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

much later

Emphasizes a greater difference in time compared to 'later' alone.

a lot later

Informal way to indicate a significant time difference.

considerably later

Indicates a noticeable and significant delay.

significantly later

Highlights the importance or impact of the delay.

substantially later

Similar to 'considerably later', suggesting a large difference in time.

a good while later

Suggests a considerable and unspecified amount of time has passed.

some time afterward

Focuses on the sequence of events with a time gap.

long afterward

Emphasizes a significant duration after a specific event.

at a later time

A more formal way of saying 'later'.

down the line

Refers to a point further in the future, often unspecified.

FAQs

What is a more appropriate way to say "very later"?

Instead of "very later", use alternatives like "much later" or "a lot later". These are grammatically correct and more common in standard English.

Is "very later" grammatically correct?

No, "very later" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. It's better to use phrases like "much later" to convey the intended meaning.

When is it acceptable to use "very later"?

While not generally recommended, "very later" might be used in informal contexts or creative writing where strict grammatical rules can be bent for stylistic effect. However, in formal writing, it's best to avoid it.

What's the difference between "very later" and "much later"?

"Very later" is not considered standard English. "Much later" is the correct and commonly used phrase to indicate a significant time difference.