Cool MateFollowing vs Subsequently
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Following
Top 1,000 (very common)A2adjective
Subsequently
Top 3,000 (common)B2adverb
Most common: Following
| Following | Subsequently | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈfɒləʊɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈfɑːləʊɪŋ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈsʌbsɪkwəntli/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈsʌbsɪkwəntli/"]/ |
| Meaning | To come after something or someone. | After something else has happened. |
| Example | Answer the following questions. | The original interview notes were subsequently lost. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 3,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | A2 | B2 |
| Part of speech | adjective | adverb |
| Collocations | following instructions, following someone, following a trend | subsequently published, subsequently discovered, subsequently revealed |
| Antonyms | preceding, leading | previously, beforehand, earlier, formerly |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'preceeding' - using 'following' incorrectly to describe something that comes before., Using 'follow' instead of 'following' in adjective form. | Confused with 'consequently' which indicates a cause-effect relationship., Using 'subsequently' at the beginning of a sentence without a previous idea., Omitting it when listing steps in a process. |
| Usage notes | Use 'following' to indicate something that comes next in time or order. It's appropriate in various contexts, including writing and conversation, but avoid using it in overly casual settings when referring to people. | Use 'subsequently' to connect events in a formal or academic context. It may not fit in casual conversations. |
Frequently asked questions: Following vs Subsequently
What's the difference between Following and Subsequently?
Following: To come after something or someone. Subsequently: After something else has happened.
Which is more common: Following and Subsequently?
Following is the most common in everyday English.
Are Following and Subsequently the same CEFR level?
Following: A2, Subsequently: B2 on the CEFR scale.
Can I use Following and Subsequently interchangeably?
Not always. Following and Subsequently 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.