After vs Afterwards vs Later

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

After

Top 1,000 (very common) A1 preposition

Afterwards

Top 2,000 (common) B2 adverb

Later

Top 1,000 (very common) A1 adverb

	After	Afterwards	Later
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 /["/ˈɑːftə(r)/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ˈæftər/"]/	🇬🇧 /["/ˈɑːftəwədz/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ˈæftərwərdz/"]/	🇬🇧 /["/ˈleɪtə(r)/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ˈleɪtər/"]/
Meaning	Later in time than something else.	After something happens, at a later time.	After a time or at a future time.
Example	We will go to the park after lunch.	Afterwards she was sorry for what she'd said.	I will call you later when I finish my work.
Register	Neutral	Neutral	Neutral
How common	Top 1,000 (very common)	Top 2,000 (common)	Top 1,000 (very common)
CEFR level	A1	B2	A1
Part of speech	preposition	adverb	adverb
Collocations	after school, after work, after dinner, after the event	arrive afterwards, meet afterwards, discuss afterwards, see each other afterwards, leave afterwards	see you later, later than expected, talk about it later
Antonyms	before	beforehand, previously	sooner, earlier
Common mistakes	Using 'after' with past tenses incorrectly, e.g., 'after I ate' should be linked with a past event., Confusing 'after' with 'before' in timeline contexts., Misplacing 'after' in a sentence, leading to unclear meaning.	Confused with 'after' (not interchangeable)., Omitting 's' in 'afterwards' when using it in sentences., Using 'afterwards' too early in a sentence.	Confused with 'latter' - 'later' refers to time, while 'latter' refers to the second of two items., Misused in phrases where 'after' would be more appropriate., Misspelled as 'latter' when referring to time.
Usage notes	Used to indicate time. Common in both spoken and written English. Avoid using in very formal contexts without a clear time reference.	Used in both spoken and written English, 'afterwards' is appropriate for neutral contexts. Avoid in very formal writing where 'subsequently' may be preferred.	Used in both spoken and written English to indicate a time in the future. It is appropriate for casual conversations but can also be used in more formal contexts.

See it in real clips

The Lord Of The Rings › The return of the king

and made peace afterwards.

Someone else claims he heard the killing, saw the boy run out afterwards.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. › S1 E1

And I didn't feel good afterwards.

The Lord Of The Rings › The return of the king

and made peace afterwards.

Someone else claims he heard the killing, saw the boy run out afterwards.

Afterwards

Three days later, your granddad was dead, but Winocki kept his word.

FORREST: Two weeks later, I left Vietnam.

Three days later, your granddad was dead, but Winocki kept his word.

FORREST: Two weeks later, I left Vietnam.

Later

Frequently asked questions: After vs Afterwards vs Later

What's the difference between After, Afterwards, and Later?

After: Later in time than something else. Afterwards: After something happens, at a later time. Later: After a time or at a future time.

Which is more advanced: After, Afterwards, and Later?

Afterwards is the highest level, at B2, on the CEFR scale.

Are After, Afterwards, and Later the same CEFR level?

After: A1, Afterwards: B2, Later: A1 on the CEFR scale.

What part of speech are After, Afterwards, and Later?

After: preposition, Afterwards: adverb, Later: adverb.

Can you show an example of each?

After: We will go to the park after lunch. Afterwards: Afterwards she was sorry for what she'd said. Later: I will call you later when I finish my work.

Can I use After, Afterwards, and Later interchangeably?

Not always. After, Afterwards, and Later are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.