How to use "consequently"

What Does "consequently" Mean?

• Grammatical function: It expresses a cause-and-effect relationship. It introduces the result or consequence of a preceding statement.
• Typical sentence position: Initial, medial (less common), or following a semicolon.
• Register: Formal to neutral. It's more common in writing and formal speech than in casual conversation.

How to Use It

• Syntactic patterns: Consequently is typically followed by a clause that represents the result of the previous clause or sentence. It is preceded by the cause.
• Punctuation rules: When consequently begins a sentence, it's usually followed by a comma. When it appears mid-sentence, it's often set off by commas (e.g., '..., and, consequently, ...'). It can also follow a semicolon to connect two closely related independent clauses.
• Grammatical flexibility: Consequently can start a sentence, be moved to a medial position (though this can sound awkward), but cannot be negated directly. You would negate the cause to negate the consequence.
• What sounds unnatural or incorrect: Placing consequently within a verb phrase (e.g., 'He consequently is running') sounds awkward. It's better to place it at the beginning of the clause or after an auxiliary verb.

Real-World Examples

These examples are sourced from consequently on Ludwig.guru.

"Societal attitudes need to change in order to minimise the stigma underpinning sex work and consequently reduce the harm that prejudice has on sex workers." — The Guardian

"My liberty, my interests and consequently my civil rights were ignored because some ambitious governors saw an opportunity to use an age-old political tactic: fear." — The Guardian - Opinion

"Consequently, when the first version of MUD uploaded to the university system in autumn 1978, it allowed multiple users to log into a mainframe and go on fantasy quests together." — The Guardian - Tech

"The Danish Arts Council, which funds the basis ensembles, concluded in a report in 2008 that there were too many within the same region and Jyske Ensemble consequently lost its status." — The Guardian

"Before the First Fleet left Portsmouth in 1787, Phillip wrote: "There can be no slavery in a free land, and consequently no slaves"." — The Economist

Examples sourced from https://ludwig.guru/s/consequently

Similar Phrases and Alternatives

Phrase	Context
therefore	More formal; emphasizes a logical deduction or conclusion.
as a result	Neutral to formal; clearly indicates a direct outcome.
hence	Formal; often used in academic or legal writing.
thus	Formal; indicates a logical consequence or method.
accordingly	Formal; implies that an action is taken in response to a preceding situation.
so	Informal; used in spoken language and less formal writing.
because of that	Informal; clearly states the cause-and-effect relationship.
for that reason	Neutral; provides a clear explanation for the consequence.

Common Mistakes

• Learners often misuse "consequently" by placing it incorrectly within a sentence, such as between a verb and its object.
• Missing a comma after "consequently" when it starts a sentence is a common error.
• Confusing "consequently" with "subsequently" (which implies a temporal sequence) is another frequent mistake.

Quick-Reference Summary

Expression	Function	Register	Typical Position
Consequently	Indicates a result or consequence	Formal to neutral	Initial, medial, or after a semicolon

FAQs

Where can "consequently" be placed in a sentence?

Consequently can typically appear at the beginning of a sentence, followed by a comma, or in the middle of a clause, often set off by commas. While grammatically correct, placing it mid-sentence can sometimes sound awkward, so sentence-initial placement is often preferred for clarity and impact.

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How does "consequently" differ from "subsequently"?

While both words connect ideas, consequently indicates a cause-and-effect relationship, meaning something happens because of something else. Subsequently, on the other hand, indicates a sequence in time, meaning something happens after something else; it doesn't necessarily imply causation.

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What's a common mistake to avoid when using "consequently"?

One common mistake is misplacing consequently within a sentence, such as between a verb and its object, which disrupts the flow and sounds unnatural. It's also important to avoid confusing it with similar adverbs like "subsequently"; consequently implies causation, not simply a temporal sequence.