Are As Follows Or Followed? | Clear Grammar Rules

English learners often pause over the question are as follows or followed? The forms look similar, the verbs sound close, and real sentences mix them in different ways. Getting this small point right, though, makes formal writing read clean and confident.

This guide walks through what as follows means, how followed works in normal clauses, and why one tiny s at the end of follow carries so much weight. You will see examples from real sentences, patterns that always work, and quick checks you can use when you draft emails, reports, or exam answers.

Are As Follows Or Followed? Quick Grammar Answer

The short rule is simple: the fixed phrase is as follows. It works with both singular and plural subjects and usually stands before a list, explanation, or set of steps. The plain verb form followed belongs in ordinary clauses, not in this idiom.

In other words, you say, The reasons are as follows, not The reasons are as followed. The wording as followed can still appear in English, but only when followed behaves as a past participle, often in phrases like followed by.

Here is a comparison of common expressions you will see in academic and professional English:

Expression	Correct?	Typical Use
is as follows	Yes	Singular subject before one list or explanation
are as follows	Yes	Plural subject before several items or points
was as follows	Yes	Past description of one set of details
were as follows	Yes	Past description of several items
as follow	No	Non-standard in modern written English
as followed	No, as a list marker	Use only when followed is a normal verb form
followed by	Yes	Describes one thing that comes after another

Reference works treat as follows as a set phrase, similar to an idiom. Cambridge Dictionary defines it as a standard way to introduce lists and descriptions, and usage writers explain that the s stays even when several items follow.

Once you treat as follows as frozen grammar, the doubt behind this choice starts to disappear. You are not choosing between two regular verb forms here. Instead, you are picking between a fixed phrase and a separate verb that plays by normal tense rules.

Using ‘As Follows’ Or ‘Followed’ In Everyday English

To answer are as follows or followed in a practical way, it helps to look at full sentences. Real examples show where each pattern feels natural and where it jars. Think of as follows as a signal that says, Here comes the detailed part.

Structure After As Follows

The most common structure looks like this:

Subject + be verb + as follows: + list or explanation

Some simple examples:

• The main steps are as follows: gather data, group it, and write the summary.
• The grading criteria are as follows: content, structure, accuracy, and style.
• The schedule is as follows: lectures on Monday and Wednesday, lab on Friday.

Notice that the verb be changes with time and number, but as follows does not. You can move between is, are, was, and were while keeping the phrase as follows exactly the same.

Tense And Agreement With As Follows

Because as follows functions as a fixed unit, the verb before it handles all the tense and agreement work. You choose is or are based on the subject, not on the list that comes later.

Compare these pairs:

• The homework is as follows: read chapter three and write a short response.
• The homework tasks are as follows: read chapter three and write a short response.
• The instructions were as follows: sign the form, scan it, and send it by email.
• The marks were as follows: 18, 16, 14, and 12.

In every pair, as follows stays unchanged. This pattern matches guidance from style writers who trace the phrase back to an older form meaning as it follows, which explains why the s appears even when more than one item comes after it.

Where Followed Fits Naturally

Now look at cases where followed works well. Here the past participle forms part of a normal verb phrase rather than an idiom. You will often see by right after it.

• The lecture was followed by a short quiz.
• A long silence followed his question.
• The experiment was followed by a class discussion.
• Heavy rain followed a period of strong wind.

In such sentences, followed tells you that one event came after another. It does not introduce a list in the way as follows does, so swapping the forms would sound odd.

Common As Follows And Followed Mistakes

Once learners see both patterns, they often make predictable slips. Studying these weak spots helps you spot errors in your own writing before a teacher, supervisor, or editor does.

Using Plural Logic With The Idiom

One widespread mistake comes from thinking in a strict plural way. A student sees The reasons are and assumes that the next verb should look plural too. That line of thought leads straight to The reasons are as follow or The reasons are as followed.

The problem is that as follows does not behave like a regular verb. It acts more like a single block of wording that never changes. Style experts even call it elliptical, which means that some words are left out because they are understood from context.

When you catch yourself debating are as follows or followed in this context, pause and remind yourself that only the be verb needs to match the plural subject. The phrase after it stays fixed.

Dropping The Colon Or List That Should Follow

Another small issue appears when writers add as follows, but then forget to provide a clear list or explanation. The phrase promises detail. If that detail does not appear, the sentence feels unfinished.

Compare these two versions:

• The meeting decisions are as follows: reschedule the exam and extend the deadline.
• The meeting decisions are as follows. We will reschedule the exam and extend the deadline.

Both can work, but the first one tends to read more smoothly because the colon introduces everything in a single unit. The second version splits the thought across two sentences, which can still be fine as long as the second sentence clearly delivers the promised information.

Mixing Passive Voice With List Markers

Writers also blend the passive voice with list markers in a way that muddies the message. A sentence such as The tasks are followed can feel vague unless a clear agent or result comes next.

When your real aim is to introduce a list, switch back to as follows. When the aim is to describe one thing that comes after another, keep followed but add detail, for example, The tasks are followed by a short reflection journal.

If you keep that difference in mind, the core doubt behind this wording soon fades, and your sentences keep their shape even in long, complex paragraphs.

Writing For Exams, Emails, And Academic Work

Grammar questions like this one tend to appear in exam marking, official emails, and research writing. In each setting, small slips can distract from strong ideas, so clear habits make a real difference.

Using As Follows In Exam Answers

Many exam tasks ask you to present steps, reasons, or examples in an orderly way. When an instruction tells you to list points, as follows gives you a compact opening that sounds formal yet natural.

Here are some exam-style lines that use the phrase well:

• The advantages of group study are as follows: shared notes, wider ideas, and peer help.
• The main causes of the conflict were as follows: economic pressure, weak leadership, and poor communication.

Some exam boards and style guides echo the same pattern in their official handbooks. For example, one advanced level handbook notes that the focus of each test is introduced with wording like the focus of each test is as follows, followed by the detailed list of papers.

Sounding Professional In Emails And Reports

In emails and workplace documents, as follows gives a neat signal that the message is moving from context to detail. It pairs well with bullet points, numbered lists, or short paragraphs.

Consider these everyday patterns:

• Our plan for the week is as follows: finish data entry, check calculations, and prepare slides.
• The agenda is as follows: introductions, project updates, and next steps.
• The changes to the policy are as follows: updated deadlines and clearer marking criteria.

When you need followed in a professional email, it usually comes in passive clauses such as The training will be followed by a feedback survey. Here it describes the sequence of events, not a list format.

Aligning With Style Guides And References

If you write academic essays or research articles, checking a reliable reference can settle small tensions quickly. Usage guides and dictionary entries explain that as follows is the idiomatic choice for formal lists and that it keeps the s even when several items follow.

Writers at Grammarphobia and traditional grammar handbooks repeat the same message: treat as follows as a fixed expression and leave its form alone. That consistent advice gives you a solid base when you edit your own work or review someone else’s draft.

Quick Reference Table For As Follows And Followed

At this point the contrast between as follows and followed should feel much clearer. The table below gathers the main patterns in one place so you can scan them whenever you hesitate over are as follows or followed? in new writing.

Goal	Best Phrase	Example
Introduce a formal list	is/are as follows	The modules are as follows: core plus electives.
Show one thing coming after another	followed by	The lecture was followed by questions.
Describe past list information	was/were as follows	The scores were as follows: 20, 18, and 15.
Use passive voice with a clear result	was/were followed by	The warning was followed by an apology.
Avoid non-standard list marker	never as follow	Write The points are as follows, not as follow.
Avoid confusing mix of forms	never as followed as a list lead	Write The rules are as follows, not as followed.
Check tense and agreement	change be verb only	The pattern is as follows today and was as follows last year.

If you remember only one point, remember this: as follows is a stable phrase that introduces detail, while followed works as part of normal verb groups. That habit soon feels natural. Practice with short lists every day. Say the pattern aloud when drafting. Whenever you catch yourself wondering are as follows or followed, read the full sentence, decide whether you are about to list information or tell a story about events, and then pick the form that fits that aim.