As Follows vs. As Follow vs. As Following
Use the fixed expression “as follows” to introduce a list or explanation. Cambridge records “as follows” in that function; “as follow” and “as following” are not interchangeable versions of the same introductory phrase.
Write “as follows” when introducing a list: “The reasons are as follows.” Use “the following” in a different construction, not “as following.”
Key details
Choose the right form
| Purpose | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| introduce a list or explanation | as follows | The reasons are as follows: |
| modify a following noun | the following + noun | the following reasons |
| attempted list-introduction variants | as follow / as following | do not substitute for the fixed phrase |
Quick tests
List-introduction test
Are you introducing material that comes immediately after the phrase?
If yes: Use the fixed expression “as follows.”
If no: If “following” modifies a noun, use a construction such as “the following items.”
Caveat: The fixed phrase remains “as follows” even when the subject before it is plural.
Examples
The next steps are as follows: review, approve, and publish.
The fixed expression introduces the list.
Please review the following steps.
“Following” modifies the noun “steps.”
The reasons are as follow.
Better: The reasons are as follows.
The list-introducing expression is fixed as “as follows.”
Further guidance
Fixed Phrase
“As follows” is the established phrase used before a list or ordered description.
Following Boundary
“Following” can be used in constructions such as “the following items,” but it does not replace the fixed phrase “as follows.”
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- as follows — Cambridge Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary · Fixed phrase as follows used to introduce a list