I remember writing a sentence in a blog post: “We went out for dinner, and afterwords we watched a movie.” I paused. Something felt wrong. I had seen afterwards many times before. So why did afterwords look strange?
If you’ve had this confusion, you’re not alone. Many people search for “afterwords or afterwards” because both words look almost the same. But here’s the catch they do not mean the same thing.
This is not just about spelling. It’s about meaning. One word talks about time, and the other talks about speech or writing. If you mix them up, your sentence can sound confusing or even incorrect.
In this guide, I’ll explain the difference in a simple way. You’ll learn when to use afterwords and when to use afterwards, with clear examples. By the end, you’ll never mix them up again.
✅ Afterwords or Afterwards – Quick Answer
- Afterwards → ✅ Means later or after that
- Afterwords → ✅ Means later words or concluding remarks
👉 Examples:
- We went home, and afterwards we relaxed. ✅
- The speaker shared a few afterwords at the end. ✅
❌ We went home, and afterwords we relaxed. (Incorrect)
✔️ Key idea:
Use afterwards for time, afterwords for speech/writing.
📜 The Origin of Afterwords or Afterwards
Both words come from:
- “after” (later)
- “word/words”
But their meanings changed over time:
- Afterwards became an adverb, meaning later
- Afterwords stayed connected to words or remarks said later
👉 So:
- Afterwards → about time
- Afterwords → about language
🌍 British English vs American English Spelling
There is a small regional difference for afterwards:
| British English | American English |
| afterwards | afterward |
| afterwords | afterwords |
👉 Key points:
- UK prefers afterwards (with “s”)
- US prefers afterward (without “s”)
- Afterwords stays the same everywhere
🎯 Which Spelling Should You Use?
Choose based on meaning and audience:
- 🇺🇸 US audience → Use afterward
- 🇬🇧 UK audience → Use afterwards
- 🌎 Global audience → Use afterwards
👉 For meaning:
- Use afterwards/afterward → for time
- Use afterwords → for speech or writing
✔️ Most common use: afterwards
❌ Common Mistakes with Afterwords or Afterwards
Here are frequent errors:
| Wrong Usage | Correct Version |
| afterwords (for time) | afterwards |
| afterwards (for speech) | afterwords |
| afterword (wrong context) | afterward |
| after wards | afterwards |
👉 Tip:
Think:
- Time → afterwards
- Words → afterwords
💬 Afterwords or Afterwards in Everyday Examples
📧 Emails
- “Let’s meet, and afterwards we can discuss the plan.”
📰 News
- “The president spoke, and afterwards answered questions.”
📱 Social Media
- “Had dinner, afterwards watched Netflix 😄”
📄 Formal Writing
- “The author added brief afterwords at the end of the book.”
📊 Afterwords or Afterwards – Google Trends & Usage Data
- Afterwards / afterward → Very common
- Afterwords → Rare and specific use
📍 Insights:
- US → prefers afterward
- UK → prefers afterwards
- Afterwords appears mostly in books or speeches
👉 SEO tip:
- Use afterwards/afterward as main keyword
- Mention afterwords for clarity and ranking
🔍 Keyword Comparison Table
| Keyword Variation | Meaning | Usage Frequency |
| afterwards | time (later) | Very High |
| afterward | time (US) | High |
| afterwords | speech/writing | Low |
| afterword | single remark | Low |
FAQs❓
1. Is afterwords correct?
Yes, but it means remarks said later, not time.
2. Is afterwards more common?
Yes, it is widely used to mean later.
3. What is the US version of afterwards?
It is afterward (without “s”).
4. Can I use afterwords instead of afterwards?
No, they have different meanings.
5. Which should I use in writing?
Use afterwards/afterward in most cases.
6. Is afterwords used often?
No, it is rare and used in specific contexts.
7. How do I remember the difference?
Afterwords = words, afterwards = time
Conclusion
Both afterwords and afterwards are correct, but they mean very different things. Afterwards is used to talk about time it means later or after that. On the other hand, afterwords refers to words or remarks said after something.
This confusion happens because the words look almost identical. But once you understand the meaning, the choice becomes easy.
👉 If you’re talking about time, use afterwards (or afterward in US English).
👉 If you’re talking about speech or writing, use afterwords.
For most everyday writing emails, blogs, or social media you will use afterwards. The word afterwords is much less common and only used in specific situations.
Now you know the difference. The next time you write this word, you won’t pause you’ll choose the right one instantly.
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I’m Veronica Roth, an author at GrammarGuides.com, where I make English easy to understand. As a grammar expert, I help readers master spelling, punctuation, and common language mistakes.
