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After, afterwards, or later
After needs something after it (after lunch); afterwards stands alone and means after that; later means at a time after now or another moment.
Quick rule
With something after it: after. Standing alone, "after that": afterwards. "At a later time": later.
Following something: after dinner, after she left. It needs something after it: a noun, an -ing form or a clause.
After that: something happened and then something else. It stands alone with nothing after it: We ate. Afterwards, we left.
At a time after now or after another moment. It stands alone (see you later) or with a time (two years later).
How to choose
| Question | after | afterwards | later |
|---|---|---|---|
| Can a noun or clause follow it (___ lunch, ___ I ate)? | Yes | No | SometimesSometimes |
| Can it end a sentence on its own (We ate. ___.)? | SometimesSometimes | Yes | Yes |
| Can it mean "at a later time" from now (See you ___)? | No | No | Yes |
Why it trips people up
All three point to a time that comes next, but they work differently in a sentence. After is a preposition and needs an object. Afterwards and later are adverbs that stand alone.
How each one works
After
after + noun
We went for a bike ride after dinner.
after + clause
After she finished the report, she went home.
right after: immediately following
He called right after the meeting ended.
Afterwards
At the start of a sentence
First we visited the museum. Afterwards, we had ice cream.
In the middle, after a comma
I felt sick, but afterwards I was fine.
At the end of a sentence
She took the exam and went home afterwards.
Later
A goodbye
See you later!
later + moment
I'll call you later tonight.
amount of time + later
Two years later, they moved to Spain.
What comes next
after plus noun or -ing
After finishing school, he moved to Chicago.
after plus subject plus verb
We left after the music stopped.
sentence. Afterwards, plus sentence
We swam. Afterwards, we slept.
later plus that day or that week
Later that week, the package arrived.
Set phrases
After
- after all
- used to mean "in spite of what was expected"
Afterwards
- shortly afterwards
- a little time after that
Later
- later on
- at a time after now, not specified
Almost the same
We ate after the game.
After something: the game.
We ate afterwards.
After that, without saying what.
We ate later.
At a later time, from now.
In a conversation
- A:
Are you free this weekend?
- B:
Saturday, after lunch. We can go to the park.
- A:
Great. Afterwards, we can get ice cream.
- B:
Good plan. I need to call my mom first. Can I text you later?
- A:
Sure. Just tell me what time you will be ready.
- B:
Two hours after lunch, maybe three.
Common mistakes
Wrong: Afterwards dinner, we watched a movie.
Right: After dinner, we watched a movie.
Before a noun, use after. Afterwards stands alone.
Wrong: I will finish after than lunch.
Right: I will finish after lunch.
After does not take than. Later than lunch is the comparative.
Memory trick
If something follows the word to complete it (dinner, she left), after. If the word stands alone, afterwards or later.
It depends
- Afterward and afterwards
- Cambridge lists afterward as the US form and afterwards as the British one.
- After can stand alone
- After can stand alone, as in the day after, but afterwards is more common (Cambridge).
FAQ
After vs afterwards: what is the difference?
After is followed by a noun or clause. Afterwards stands alone and means after that.
Afterwards vs later?
Afterwards follows something just mentioned. Later means at a later time and can point from now.
After vs later?
After needs an object; later is an adverb meaning at a later time.