in a few hours vs after a few hours

[skydown13]

You can check my work after a few hours.

You can check my work in a few hours.

Do both in and after mean the same here?

 

[natkretep]

Yes, they do for me.

 

[mink-shin]

You can check my work after a few hours.

You can check my work in a few hours.

Are they both correct sentences?

 

[sb70012]

Yes, they do for me.

But don't you think that "in a few hours" means "a few hours from now, from the moment of speaking," while "after a few hours" means "after a few hours have passed before now, before the moment of speaking."?

Don't you think that according to my explanation "after a few hours" in the first sentence is wrong?

 

[DonnyB]

But don't you think that "in a few hours" means "a few hours from now, from the moment of speaking," while "after a few hours" means "after a few hours have passed before now, before the moment of speaking."?

Don't you think that according to my explanation "after a few hours" in the first sentence is wrong?

I don't think that first sentence is very idiomatic.

It could mean a few hours from when the work was completed rather than a few hours from now. In fact you can't tell from either sentence as they stand when the work was actually completed, but in the second sentence it doesn't matter.

 

[RM1(SS)]

But don't you think that "in a few hours" means "a few hours from now, from the moment of speaking," while "after a few hours" means "after a few hours have passed before now, before the moment of speaking."?

Don't you think that according to my explanation "after a few hours" in the first sentence is wrong?

No.
No.

 

[sb70012]

No.
No.

Useful guidance.
Thank you.

 

[velisarius]

But don't you think that "in a few hours" means "a few hours from now, from the moment of speaking," while "after a few hours" means "after a few hours have passed before now, before the moment of speaking."?

Don't you think that according to my explanation "after a few hours" in the first sentence is wrong?

For me, the first sentence is probably a suggestion to regularly check someone's work after a few hours. The second would be used for one specific occasion. I think we really need some context if we are to say with certainty how "You can check my work after a few hours" is being used.