Later or after?

Question

Around the age of sixteen, you must make one of the biggest decision of your life. "Do I stay on at school and hopefully go on to university _____________?
The answer is "later" Why not "after? Thanks.

Fandorin · Accepted Answer

Hi. Welcome to English Forums.

fireflysaigonAround the age of sixteen, you must make one of the biggest decision of your life. "Do I stay on at school and hopefully go on to university __?

Because later is an Adverb which suits well there. After is a conjuction which connects two clauses. Since there is an end of the sentence, only later is appropriate.

Yoong Liat · Answer

Around the age of sixteen, you must make one of the biggest decisions of your life.

Clive · Answer

Hi,

"Do I stay on at school and hopefully go on to university later?'

Here's a comment on 'hopefully'.

1. The intended meaning is

"Do I stay on at school and, I hope, go on to university later?'

2. A stricter interpretation of the grammar means, roughly speaking,

"Do I stay on at school and go on to university later with hope in my heart at the time that I go?'

The use of 'hopefully' for meaning #1 is becoming very, very common today. But it makes some people irritated because they see it as imprecise language.

Best wishes, Clive

Fireflysaigon · Answer

Many thanks, Clive. However, I see people also say "three days after" or "soon after" without a noun / noun phrase after the word "after".

Clive · Answer

Hi,

Around the age of sixteen, you must make one of the biggest decision of your life. "Do I stay on at school and hopefully go on to university __?

The answer is "later"

However, I see people also say "three days after" or "soon after" without a noun / noun phrase after the word "after".

Yes, I hear such phrases too, in colloquial English. But I less often hear 'after' by itself in a context like yours, and it doesn't sound good to my ear.

Clive

Later or after?

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