four months later or four months after?

[minnie2007]

Mark, Mike’s father, was to see his child only four months after his baby’s birth, on his return home from the front.

the point is: four months after his baby's birth or four months later?

And also: is this sentence, generally correct?

[BobK]

Originally Posted by minnie2007

Mark, Mike’s father, was to see his child only four months after his baby’s birth, on his return home from the front.

the point is: four months after his baby's birth or four months later?

And also: is this sentence, generally correct?

The sentence is fine. So is this:

Mike was born while his father, Mark, was serving at the front. Four months later, on his return home, Mark was to see him for the first time.

And so is this:

Mike was born while his father, Mark, was serving at the front. Four months afterwards, on his return home, Mark was to see him for the first time.

b

PS I believe the AmE preference is for 'afterward' [no s]

[minnie2007]

oh thanks. So what would you suggest. To leave the sentence as I wrote it at first or to correct it with one of the two you kindly wrote for me?

[BobK]

I'd use your version. I only gave the other two as a way of pointing out that after is a preposition and needs a noun or noun phrase to follow it. There are defenders of the status of 'after' as a free-standing adverb meaning 'afterward[s]', but that usage is at best questionable. (When I saw this thread's title, I assumed this was what you'd be asking about.)

b

[minnie2007]

thanks a lot.
I have no words to say how glad I am to write on this forum and to have all my doubts solved.........it helps to improve my English, it helps to think, it helps my learning so
THANKS TO YOU ALL!