What is the Difference Between After and Afterwards?

The words "after" and "afterwards" are similar, but they have different uses and can't always be used interchangeably. Here are the key differences:

• After is a more versatile word. It can be used as an adverb, preposition, conjunction, or even a noun. For example, "She returned from the trip one year after" (as an adverb), "My brother was born five years after my parents' wedding" (as a preposition), and "We'll hear about everything after dinner" (as a conjunction).
• Afterwards is primarily an adverb, meaning later or sometime in the future. It is often used in expressions like "not long afterwards," "soon afterwards," and "shortly afterwards". It can't be used as a preposition or conjunction.

In some cases, both "after" and "afterwards" can be used to convey the same meaning, such as "I shall make my final decision after/afterwards I have discussed the problem with my family". However, "after" can also be used as a preposition, which "afterwards" cannot.

Comparative Table: After vs Afterwards

The difference between "after" and "afterwards" can be summarized in the following table:

Both "after" and "afterwards" are used to indicate that something happens following a particular event or time. However, "after" can be used as a preposition, adjective, conjunction, or adverb, while "afterwards" is only used as an adverb. When specifying a time period, "after" can be used with both exact and inexact time periods, while "afterwards" is more commonly used with inexact time periods. In terms of position in a sentence, "after" can be placed before or after a noun phrase or at the end of a sentence, while "afterwards" is usually placed before the clause or phrase it relates to but can also be placed at the end for emphasis.