Afterward vs. Afterwards — What's the Difference?

Delineating "Afterward" and "Afterwards," these terms predominantly share meaning but exhibit a slight geographical preference in usage. "Afterward" often finds more usage in American English, serving to indicate a period or event that follows another. On the other hand, "Afterwards" gravitates more towards British English, while equally signifying a time or event subsequent to another, revealing that the distinction is minor and mostly regional.

In practice, one might say, “We went to dinner, and afterward, we saw a movie.” This implies that the act of seeing the movie occurred subsequent to dining. Similarly, one might assert, “We had lunch, and afterwards, we went for a walk,” denoting that the walk followed the meal, further establishing that the practical usage of "Afterward" and "Afterwards" is nearly identical.

Applying "Afterward" in a literary context, an author might write, “The kingdom fell, and afterward, chaos reigned.” This usage underscores a chronological progression, where chaos follows the fall of the kingdom. Alternatively, employing "Afterwards" in literature, it could be written, “The hero died, and afterwards, the land mourned,” again highlighting a sequential order of events without a marked divergence in meaning or usage between the two words.

In everyday conversation, "Afterward" might find application such as: “We will discuss the plan, and afterward, decide on action.” This reveals a scheduled sequentiality, wherein discussion precedes decision. Conversely, "Afterwards" can be conversely integrated, like: “He will present his case, and afterwards, she will present hers,” also representing a planned sequence of events, and thereby showcasing the words' functional interchangeability.

Distinguishing the two in a technical or formal context might present as: “The procedure will be conducted, and afterward, an evaluation will occur.” This conveys a structured chronology of events. Simultaneously, a sentence like, “The experiment will be initiated, and afterwards, data will be collected,” doesn’t disrupt or alter the intended conveyance of sequence, affirming the words as practically synonymous.