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After, Afterwards and Then

If I had to choose among all the 'stupid and irritating' mistakes a teacher ever meets in exams and competitive exams, I think I'd choose this precise one, which is the proof of the students' carelessness ; they KNOW but don't THINK ENOUGH when writing or speaking. Please, beginners, do make an effort, in order to learn this phenomenon rapidly, so that you will never have an opportunity to hesitate! 

AFTER may be :

1) A preposition : after + noun or gerund. 

ex : After Christmas, children are busy playing with their new toys...

ex : I'll go to see him after checking whether he's home or not! 


2) A temporal (subordinate) conjunction   = after + temporal clause. 

ex : After his mom came back from abroad, the baby wouldn't leave her for a minute. 

ex : He was so happy after he had won on lotto, that he forgot we were all here with him.

ex : I sprained my ankle after I tried to carry my heavy luggage and fell down. 

3) An adverb, placed only at the end of a clause. 'AFTER' is then preceded by a noun or another adverb: a few days after ; shortly after ; long after ;

ex : Leave your papers and come a week after (= later).

ex : She called to see him and shortly after, she came in the flesh... It will be quicker! 


BE CAREFUL !  When narrating a story, don't ever say or write 'and after, .... and after ...' but 'then', 'afterwards', or 'after that'.

ex : The baby's mom read the book, then, the baby looked at the images, then, he laughed and clapped his hands, and then he tore the book into pieces  ... 

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1) He came home after all the daysafter the whole daythe whole after daythe day afterI don't know at school, and after takeafter takingafter to takeafter having takeI don't know a short break, he started doing his homework.
2) After having readAfter readingAfter to readAfter readI don't know the text carefully, find the key word in this story, and afterwardsand afterafter wholeafter lastI don't know, study the two main characters' actions all along the scene, and what their relationships have become afterwardsafter thenlong aftershort afterI don't know ....
3) He'll give you the key to the room after he leavingafter he leavedafter leftafter he has leftI don't know it.
4) Afterwards finishingAfter to finishAfter finishAfter finishingI don't know your own exercises, wipe the board, and after allafterwardsafter wholeafter thenI don't know, close the door carefully after to switchafter switched heafter to switchingafter switchingI don't know all the lights off.
5)After awakenedAfter wakingAfter to wakeAfter awokenAfter to wokeI don't know up early, you take a huge breakfast, short afterand afterand thenlong afterI don't know you go skiing : I advise you to start with a blue run, (a gentle slope) and short afterand afterand long afterafterwardsI don't know, do a black track, 'one Diamond'. If everything went well, you can try a black one 'Two Diamonds'long aftershort afterafterwardsshortly afterI don't know. But, don't take risks and try not to break your neck!