Afterwards or Afterwords: What’s the Difference and Which One Should You Use?

Many people get confused between “afterwards” and “afterwords” because they look and sound almost the same.

But they’re not interchangeable each has a completely different meaning. One refers to time, while the other relates to speech or writing.

This small mix-up can lead to noticeable mistakes in emails, essays, and professional work.

In this guide, you’ll quickly learn the difference, avoid common errors, and use each word with confidence.

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Afterwards or Afterwords – Quick Answer

Afterwards means later in time or after something happens.
Afterwords means the words spoken or written later.

Examples:

• I finished my homework and went out afterwards. ✅
• She explained everything and added a few afterwords. ✅

👉 Quick tip:

• Use afterwards for time
• Use afterwords for speech or writing

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The Origin of Afterwards or Afterwords

Afterwards

The word afterwards comes from Old English. It combines:

• after (later in time)
• -ward (direction or movement)

Over time, it became an adverb meaning “at a later time.” The “s” at the end is common in British-style adverbs like towards and backwards.

Afterwords

The word afterwords is a combination of:

• after (later)
• words (spoken or written language)

It refers to something said or written later, often as a final comment or closing remark.

Why the Confusion Exists

The confusion exists because:

• Both words look almost the same
• Both include “after”
• They sound similar in fast speech

But their meanings are completely different—one is about time, the other about language.

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British English vs American English Spelling

The word afterwards changes slightly between British and American English.

Version	Spelling	Region	Example
British English	afterwards	UK, Pakistan, Commonwealth	We went home afterwards.
American English	afterward	USA	We went home afterward.

👉 Important:

• Both mean the same thing
• The difference is only the “s” at the end

What About Afterwords?

• Afterwords does NOT change in British or American English
• It stays the same everywhere

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Which Spelling Should You Use?

Choosing the right word depends on your audience.

If You Mean Time

• Use afterwards (UK/Commonwealth)
• Use afterward (US)

If You Mean Extra Words

• Always use afterwords

Audience-Based Advice

• US audience → use afterward
• UK/Pakistan/Commonwealth → use afterwards
• Global audience → both are fine, but afterwards is more common internationally

👉 Tip: If you’re unsure, “afterwards” is safe for most global writing.

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Common Mistakes with Afterwards or Afterwords

Here are the most common errors:

❌ Mistake 1: Using afterwords instead of afterwards

• I went home afterwords. ❌
• I went home afterwards. ✅

👉 Reason: You are talking about time, not words.

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❌ Mistake 2: Using afterwards for speech

• He gave some useful afterwards. ❌
• He gave some useful afterwords. ✅

👉 Reason: You are talking about spoken words.

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❌ Mistake 3: Confusing American and British spelling

• I will call you afterwards. (in US formal writing) ❌
• I will call you afterward. (US style) ✅

👉 Reason: Match spelling with audience.

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❌ Mistake 4: Thinking they are interchangeable

They are NOT interchangeable. Each has a specific meaning.

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Afterwards or Afterwords in Everyday Examples

1. Emails

• I will send the report and call you afterwards.
• Please read my afterwords at the end of the document.

2. News Writing

• The meeting ended, and the president spoke to the media afterwards.
• The article included afterwords from experts.

3. Social Media

• Finished my workout, feeling great afterwards!
• Just a few afterwords before I log off.

4. Formal Writing

• The results were published, and a discussion followed afterwards.
• The author added thoughtful afterwords to the book.

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Afterwards or Afterwords – Google Trends & Usage Data

Popularity Insights

• Afterwards / afterward is very common worldwide
• Used daily in conversation, writing, and media
• Higher usage in:
  • UK
  • Pakistan
  • India
  • Australia
• Afterword(s) is less common
• Mostly used in:
  • Books
  • Speeches
  • Academic writing

Context-Based Usage

Word	Usage Frequency	Context
Afterwards / Afterward	Very high	Everyday language
Afterwords	Low	Formal or literary

👉 Conclusion:
Most people search this keyword because afterwards is common, but afterwords is confusing.

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Comparison Table: Afterwards vs Afterwords

Feature	Afterwards / Afterward	Afterwords
Meaning	Later in time	Words said later
Part of Speech	Adverb	Noun
Usage	Very common	Less common
Example	We left afterwards	He added afterwords
Region Variation	Yes (US vs UK)	No

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FAQs

1. Is it afterwards or afterwords?

Both are correct, but they mean different things. Use afterwards for time and afterwords for speech.

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2. What is the difference between afterward and afterwards?

There is no meaning difference. Afterward is American English, while afterwards is British English.

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3. Is afterwords a real word?

Yes, afterwords is a real word, but it is less common and used for spoken or written remarks.

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4. Which word is more common?

Afterwards/afterward is much more common in everyday English.

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5. Can I use afterwards in formal writing?

Yes, it is perfectly acceptable in formal writing, especially in British English.

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6. Is afterwords used in books?

Yes, it is often used to describe final remarks or closing comments in books.

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7. How can I remember the difference?

• Afterwards = time
• Afterwords = words

👉 Simple trick: “Words” is inside “afterwords”.

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Conclusion:

Afterwards and afterwords may look similar, but their meanings are completely different.

Afterwards (or afterward in American English) is used for time it means something happens later.

Afterwords, however, refers to words spoken or written later, often in formal or literary contexts.

A simple trick: ask yourself, Is it about time or words? This makes choosing the right word easy.

Using them correctly adds clarity, professionalism, and confidence to your writing.

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