Hey Roberto, I shall provide you an explanation over the usage of these words: 1) ''After'': It is usually a preposition. If something happens ''after'' a particular time or event, it happens during the period that follows that time or event. E.g.: ''We'll hear about everything after dinner.'' *** You can say that someone does something ''after'' doing something else. E.g.: ''After leaving school he worked as an accountant.'' E.g.: ''After completing and signing the form, please return it to me.'' 2) ''Afterwards'': It is an adverb. If something happens ''afterwards'', it happens after a particular event or time that has already been mentioned. You often use ''afterwards'' in expressions like ''not long afterwards'', ''soon afterwards'', and ''shortly afterwards.'' E.g.: ''She died soon afterwards.'' E.g.: ''Shortly afterwards her marriage broke up.'' 3) ''Afterward'' is also sometimes used, especially in American English. E.g.: ''I left soon afterward.'' E.g.: ''Not long afterward, he made a trip from L.A. to San Jose.'' *** NOTICE: You can use ''after'', ''afterwards'', or ''later'' following a phrase that mentions a period of time, in order to say when something happens. E.g.: ''I met him five years after his wife's death.'' E.g.: ''She wrote about it six years afterwards.'' E.g.: ''Ten minutes later he left the house.'' Hope that helps!!!

"after" is usually used as a preposition or a conjunction. Something should follow "after" to show the thing happening first. That something could be thing or a full noun + verb. Example with just a thing : "I left after the party." First the party happened. Then "I" left. Example with a full noun + verb: "He left after the party ended." First the party ended. Then "he" left. "afterwards" is an adverb that means "some time later". Nothing related follows "afterwards". Example: "She left afterwards." She left at some time later.