a consequence to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a consequence to" is not correct in standard English; it should be "a consequence of." You can use "a consequence of" when discussing the result or effect of a particular action or situation.
Example: "The pollution in the river is a consequence of industrial waste being dumped into it."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

I may be wrong, but I really do think there is a consequence to this.

The New Yorker

You can't get anyone to consider that there is a consequence to these actions".

The New York Times

"Parties in Israel must realize there is a consequence to their behavior.

The New York Times

Is there a consequence to early lunches and little time to consume food?

The Washington Post

As a consequence, to achieve greater efficiency, sophisticated analytical instrumentation is being used to an increasing extent.

Encyclopedia Britannica

As a consequence, to help move this process along, today I'm laying out my ideas for immigration reform.

The New York Times

"If people go there [to the Middle East], there's a consequence to pay, regardless of whether they're fighting for the right side or the wrong side.

The Guardian

Unless and until there is a consequence to the homeowner, the gardeners' employer, a noise-free summer will remain a hammock dream.

The New York Times

"And, you know, I don't want to have to worry about whether she's going to get sick as a consequence to having her lunch".

The New York Times - Health

I suppose that we have all, at some time, sat through too many hours of their deathless prose set as a consequence to too much music.

The Guardian - Music

The results show that higher NH4 contents lead to higher pH-values in the digester and as a consequence to higher methane contents.

Bioresource Technology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use the correct preposition "of" instead of "to" after "consequence". For example, "The increase in pollution is a consequence of industrial activity."

Common error

Avoid using "to" after "consequence". The correct phrasing is "a consequence of". Using "to" is a common grammatical error that should be avoided.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a consequence to" functions as part of a prepositional phrase, typically indicating a relationship between an action or event and its purported result. However, it's important to note that this phrasing is grammatically incorrect; it should be "a consequence of". Ludwig provides examples showcasing the prevalence of the erroneous usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

35%

News & Media

45%

Encyclopedias

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "a consequence to" appears frequently, it is generally considered grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "a consequence of". Ludwig examples illustrate that "a consequence to" is often used across various contexts, including news, science, and encyclopedias. However, as Ludwig AI states, the correct phrasing is "a consequence of". It's advisable to use "a consequence of" or alternative expressions like "a result of" or "an outcome of" to ensure grammatical accuracy, especially in formal writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a result of

Changes the preposition to 'of', creating a grammatically correct and common phrase.

an outcome of

Replaces "consequence" with "outcome" and uses 'of' to maintain grammatical correctness.

a byproduct of

Substitutes "consequence" with "byproduct", indicating an unintended result.

a repercussion of

Replaces "consequence" with "repercussion", emphasizing the negative impact.

attributable to

Uses a passive construction to indicate the cause.

stemming from

Implies the origin or root cause of something.

arising from

Suggests that something emerges or develops from a particular cause.

resulting from

Highlights that something is a direct result or effect.

a product of

Indicates that something is created or produced by a particular cause.

down to

Informal expression meaning "caused by" or "attributable to".

FAQs

What's the correct way to use the phrase consequence, "a consequence to" or "a consequence of"?

The correct phrase is "a consequence of", not "a consequence to". For example, say "The flood was "a consequence of" heavy rain".

What can I say instead of "a consequence to"?

Since "a consequence to" is grammatically incorrect, use phrases like "a result of", "an outcome of", or "a byproduct of".

How can I remember to use "of" instead of "to" after consequence?

Think of "consequence" as being connected to its cause. The preposition "of" indicates this connection, making "a consequence of" the correct form.

Is "a consequence to" ever correct in any context?

No, "a consequence to" is generally considered grammatically incorrect in standard English. Always use ""a consequence of"".