✅ Following describes something that comes after something else (In the following book, our hero defeats the villain).

✅ Subsequent describes something that comes after, or comes later than something else (This question will be answered in the subsequent section).

✅ Following is less formal, and suggests immediacy (On the following day they went home).

✅ While subsequent does too, it can also refer to things that happen as a consequence or because of the first thing, whether they happen immediately after or later on (Subsequent to buying the car, they went on holiday).

What events might happen subsequent to a trip to the hardware store? Write about them with the help of Grammar Coach.

✅ Preceding and prior refer to something that comes before something else (In the preceding book, our hero was kidnapped by the villain; According to a letter sent several days prior, the detective was on his way).

✅ Preceding is almost always used to refer to things that come before something physically or tangibly (the preceding chapter; the preceding month), whereas prior can refer to things that have been previously arranged or decided, though they haven’t happened yet (a prior arrangement; a prior engagement).

✅ Preceding and prior both are almost always followed by nouns. The exception is the phrase ‘prior to’.

Write about turning down a meeting or coffee date due to a prior engagement with the help of Grammar Coach.

✅ Impediment refers to an obstacle or hindrance (The blockage in the cave was an impediment to our progress).

✅ Bottleneck refers to a place at which you can’t make any more progress. This is often a sudden narrowing of a road or passageway, or any point at which progress stops due to a sudden slowing down (There was a bottleneck at the bridge because a lane was closed).

✅ Impediment refers to any kind of obstruction or hindrance that makes progress difficult or impossible, while bottleneck is a more specific type of hindrance (The broken machine caused a bottleneck so we finished the packing by hand; My twisted ankle was a severe impediment in the race).

Try writing about getting stuck in a bottleneck during a road trip with the help of Grammar Coach.