Cool MateFollowing vs Thereafter
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Following
Thereafter
| Following | Thereafter | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈfɒləʊɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈfɑːləʊɪŋ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/ˌðeərˈɑːftə(r)/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˌðerˈæftər/"]/ |
| Meaning | To come after something or someone. | after that time |
| Example | Answer the following questions. | She married at 17 and gave birth to her first child shortly thereafter. |
| Register | Neutral | Formal |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Beyond 10,000 (less common) |
| CEFR level | A2 | C1 |
| Part of speech | adjective | adverb |
| Collocations | following instructions, following someone, following a trend | thereafter stated, thereafter mentioned, thereafter noted |
| Antonyms | preceding, leading | before, prior to, previously |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'preceeding' - using 'following' incorrectly to describe something that comes before., Using 'follow' instead of 'following' in adjective form. | Using it incorrectly to indicate a specific time instead of a sequence., Confusing it with 'after' or 'then' in casual contexts., Placing it incorrectly in a sentence, disrupting the flow. |
| 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. | Used primarily in writing, particularly in formal contexts such as academic papers or literature. It is less common in everyday spoken language. Avoid using it in casual conversations. |
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Frequently asked questions: Following vs Thereafter
What's the difference between Following and Thereafter?
Following: To come after something or someone. Thereafter: after that time
Which is more formal: Following and Thereafter?
Thereafter is the most formal of these.
Which is more common: Following and Thereafter?
Following is the most common in everyday English.
Which is more advanced: Following and Thereafter?
Thereafter is the highest level, at C1, on the CEFR scale.
Are Following and Thereafter the same CEFR level?
Following: A2, Thereafter: C1 on the CEFR scale.
What part of speech are Following and Thereafter?
Following: adjective, Thereafter: adverb.
Can you show an example of each?
Following: Answer the following questions. Thereafter: She married at 17 and gave birth to her first child shortly thereafter.
Can I use Following and Thereafter interchangeably?
Not always. Following and Thereafter 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.