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When vs After - What's the difference?

when | after |

After is a conjunction of when.



As adverbs the difference between when and after

is that when is Used to introduce questions about time while after is behind; later in time; following.

As conjunctions the difference between when and after

is that when is at what time while after is Signifies that the action of the clause it starts takes place before the action of the other clause.

As a pronoun when

is what time; which time.

As a noun when

is the time.

As an interjection when

is that's enough, a command to stop adding something, especially an ingredient of food or drink.

As a preposition after is

subsequently to; following in time; later than.

As an adjective after is

later; second (of two); next, following, subsequent.

when

English

(wikipedia when)

Adverb

(-)
  • (interrogative) (Used to introduce questions about time).
  • When will they arrive ?
  • (Used to introduce indirect questions about time).
  • Do you know when they arrived?
    Do you know when they will arrive?
    Do you know when they arrive?
  • At an earlier and less prosperous time.
  • He's mister high and mighty now, but I remember him when .

    Conjunction

    (missing senses) (English Conjunctions)
  • At what time.
  • :
  • *
  • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=4 , passage=The Celebrity, by arts unknown, induced Mrs. Judge Short and two other ladies to call at Mohair on an afternoon when Mr. Cooke was trying a trotter on the track.
  • *
  • *:Turning back, then, toward the basement staircase, she began to grope her way through blinding darkness, but had taken only a few uncertain steps when , of a sudden, she stopped short and for a little stood like a stricken thing, quite motionless save that she quaked to her very marrow in the grasp of a great and enervating fear.
  • At such time as.
  • :
  • *{{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=July-August, author=(Henry Petroski)
  • , title= Geothermal Energy , volume=101, issue=4, magazine=(American Scientist) , passage=Energy has seldom been found where we need it when we want it. Ancient nomads, wishing to ward off the evening chill and enjoy a meal around a campfire, had to collect wood and then spend time and effort coaxing the heat of friction out from between sticks to kindle a flame. With more settled people, animals were harnessed to capstans or caged in treadmills to turn grist into meal.}}
  • As soon as.
  • :
  • At a time in the past.
  • :
  • *{{quote-news, year=2012, date=April 22, author=Sam Sheringham, work=BBC Sport
  • , title= Liverpool 0-1 West Brom , passage=The Baggies had offered little threat until the 28th minute, but when their first chance came it was a clear one.}}

    Derived terms

    * whenwe

    Pronoun

    (English Pronouns)
  • (interrogative) What time; which time
  • Since when do I need your permission?

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The time.
  • A good article will cover the who, the what, the when , the where, the why and the how .

    See also

    * since when

    Interjection

    (en interjection)
  • That's enough,
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • Derived terms

    * whenever

    Statistics

    *

    after

    English

    Alternative forms

    * afther * aftre (obsolete)

    Adverb

    (-)
  • Behind; later in time; following.
  • They lived happily ever after .
    I left the room, and the dog bounded after .

    Derived terms

    * after-effect * aftermarket * aftermath * aftertaste * afterwards * go after

    Preposition

    (English prepositions)
  • Subsequently to; following in time; later than.
  • *
  • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=1 , passage=I was about to say that I had known the Celebrity from the time he wore kilts. But I see I will have to amend that, because he was not a celebrity then, nor, indeed, did he achieve fame until some time after I left New York for the West.}}
  • * {{quote-news, year=2012, date=April 15, author=Phil McNulty, work=BBC
  • , title= Tottenham 1-5 Chelsea , passage=After early sparring, Spurs started to take control as the interval approached and twice came close to taking the lead. Terry blocked Rafael van der Vaart's header on the line and the same player saw his cross strike the post after Adebayor was unable to apply a touch.}}
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-08, volume=407, issue=8839, page=52, magazine=(The Economist)
  • , title= The new masters and commanders , passage=From the ground, Colombo’s port does not look like much. Those entering it are greeted by wire fences, walls dating back to colonial times and security posts. For mariners leaving the port after lonely nights on the high seas, the delights of the B52 Night Club and Stallion Pub lie a stumble away.}}
  • Behind.
  • *
  • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=5 , passage=Then came a maid with hand-bag and shawls, and after her a tall young lady. She stood for a moment holding her skirt above the grimy steps,
  • In pursuit of, seeking.
  • In allusion to, in imitation of; following or referencing.
  • Next in importance or rank.
  • As a result of.
  • In spite of.
  • I can't believe that, after all our advice against gambling, you walked into that casino!
  • (Used to indicate recent completion of an activity)
  • *
  • *
  • * '>citation
  • *
  • *
  • (dated) According to an author or text.
  • Denoting the aim or object; concerning; in relation to.
  • to look after''' workmen; to enquire '''after''' a friend; to thirst '''after righteousness
  • (obsolete) According to the direction and influence of; in proportion to; befitting.
  • * Francis Bacon
  • He takes greatness of kingdoms according to bulk and currency, and not after their intrinsic value.

    Usage notes

    * The Irish English usage example is equivalent to "I had just finished my dinner when .".

    Derived terms

    * after one's own heart * after you * after-five * afternoon * go after * look after * name after

    Conjunction

    (English Conjunctions)
  • (Signifies that the action of the clause it starts takes place before the action of the other clause).
  • :
  • *
  • *:It is never possible to settle down to the ordinary routine of life at sea until the screw begins to revolve. There is an hour or two, after the passengers have embarked, which is disquieting and fussy.
  • *1991 , Donald "Shadow" Rimgale (character), (Robert DeNiro) (actor),
  • *:So you punched out a window for ventilation. Was that before or after you noticed you were standing in a lake of gasoline?
  • *{{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=May-June, author= David Van Tassel], [http://www.americanscientist.org/authors/detail/lee-dehaan Lee DeHaan
  • , title= Wild Plants to the Rescue , volume=101, issue=3, magazine=(American Scientist) , passage=Plant breeding is always a numbers game.

    Adjective

    (head)
  • (dated) Later; second (of two); next, following, subsequent
  • * 1834 , (w), A Narrative of the Life of , Nebraska 1987, p. 72:
  • I did verily believe in my own mind, that I couldn't fight in that way at all; but my after experience convinced me that this was all a notion.
  • * 1886 , (Thomas Hardy),
  • The amends he had made in after life were lost sight of in the dramatic glare of the original act.
  • *
  • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=1 , passage=In the old days, […], he gave no evidences of genius whatsoever. He never read me any of his manuscripts, […], and therefore my lack of detection of his promise may in some degree be pardoned. But he had then none of the oddities and mannerisms which I hold to be inseparable from genius, and which struck my attention in after days when I came in contact with the Celebrity.}}
  • (nautical, where the frame of reference is within the ship) At or towards the stern of a ship.
  • Usage notes

    * As shown in the examples above, the adverb in this nautical usage is (aft) and the related preposition is (abaft).

    Derived terms

    *

    References

    * Andrea Tyler and Vyvyan Evans, "Spatial particles of orientation", in The Semantics of English Prepositions: Spatial Scenes, Embodied Meaning and Cognition , Cambridge University Press, 2003, 0-521-81430 8

    Statistics

    *