After, afterwards

After means ‘later than’ and ‘next in time or place’.

After can be used before a noun phrase (as a preposition):

Shall we have a swim after lunch?

The bank is just after the park, on the left.

After can introduce a clause (as a conjunction):

After I left him a message, he phoned me immediately.

She did voluntary work in a hospital after she graduated.

We can use after as an adverb, but afterwards is more common. When after is used, it is usually as part of an adverb phrase:

They lived happily ever after. (means ‘for ever’)

She had an operation on her leg and afterwards was unable to walk for at least a month.

When after refers to future time, we use the present simple, not the future with shall or will:

I’ll do another course after I finish this one.

Not: … after I will finish …