Cohesion

Linking and sequencing events

These words can be used to put events in sequence: when, after, after that, afterwards, next, subsequently, later (on), followed by, to go on to and finally.

When and after are conjunctions, and they are used to join two clauses. The subordinate clause beginning with when or after can go before or after the main clause.

• When she finished school, she got a job as an office cleaner.
• She got a job as an office cleaner when she finished school.
• After he heard the news, he went home.
• I turned on the TV after I had finished dinner.

After can be used with verb + -ing.

• After hearing the news, he went home.
• I turned on the TV after having finished dinner.

After that and afterwards are used as adverbs, to sequence two events. After that is used when describing a list of two or more events. Afterwards means "after an event that has just been mentioned".

• She first worked in a hospital, and after that she opened her own shop.
• We went to see a film and afterwards we discussed it.

After is not usually used alone as an adverb.

• She first worked in a hospital, and after she opened her own shop.
• We went to see a film and after we discussed it.

Next and subsequently are used as adverbs. Next means "immediately after". Subsequently means "after that" or "at a later date". Subsequently is more formal than next, and is usually used in written English.

• He wrote a letter, and next he finished reading a novel.
• She wrote her first book when she was 25 years old, and subsequently she wrote five more.

Later and later on are used as adverbs. Later means "after a particular time or event", but not necessarily immediately. Later on means "later in a period of time".

• I hated maths at school but later I found it useful.
• We first went to the cinema, and later on we had dinner together.

Other ways of talking about a sequence of events:

-followed by is used to join two clauses in the middle, but not at the beginning, of a sentence.

• She worked in a series of part-time jobs, followed by time working for a small construction company.
  NOT: Followed by time working for a small construction company, she worked in a series of part-time jobs.

-to go on to do something can be used in any tense, and it is followed by the infinitive with to.

• She went on to become a private investigator.
• When I finish university, I'll go on to establish my own company.
• If he hadn't died so young, he would have gone on to become really famous.