Word
afterward
Phoneticsaf·ter·ward, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈæftɝwɝd/
UK/ˈɑːftəwəd/
Adverb of time
Definition
adv. at a later time or after something else has happened. You use it to talk about what you did next.
adv. at a later or subsequent time. Often used to link two events in a chronological sequence.
Examples
“We went for a walk and had dinner afterward.”
“The team played a difficult match and went out for a celebratory meal afterward.”
“The witness provided a brief statement immediately following the accident, but she struggled to recall specific details when questioned again shortly afterward.”
Examples
simple
“We went for a walk and had dinner afterward.”
contextual
“The team played a difficult match and went out for a celebratory meal afterward.”
complex
“The witness provided a brief statement immediately following the accident, but she struggled to recall specific details when questioned again shortly afterward.”
Usage
Typically placed at the end of a clause or sentence to indicate a subsequent action.
Pitfall
afterward of the movie
after the movie
Afterward is an adverb and cannot take a noun object; use the preposition 'after' instead.
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English afterward, from Old English æfterweard; equivalent to after + -ward.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/afterward