thereby began

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "thereby began" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that an action or event was initiated as a result of a previous action or event. Example: "The team completed their research, and thereby began the development of the new product."

✓ Grammatically correct

Encyclopedias

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

In 1878 he engaged Ellen Terry as his leading lady and thereby began one of the most famous partnerships in the history of the English stage.

Encyclopedia Britannica

In 1852 France extended the protection of its copyright laws to all authors, regardless of nationality, and thereby began a movement for some international accord.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Thereby began his shift of interest from mathematical physics to astronomy and, in later years, led to his work on the formation of planetary systems and to his conviction that life must be of frequent occurrence in the universe.

The Guardian

The many tribesmen who surrendered were given jobs as road builders and thereby began to develop the country as part of the British Empire.

Wikipedia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

In 1935, Hans left for Cochin, India, thereby beginning a 37-year affiliation with Volkart Bros., a distinguished Swiss commodity firm operative worldwide.

The New York Times

These returned to their court with the Cambodian court-dance troupe, thereby beginning the traditions of Thai court dance and dance-drama.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Constantine completely altered the relationship between the church and the imperial government, thereby beginning a process that eventually made Christianity the official religion of the empire.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Amaterasu had the food grains sown for humanity's future use and, placing the silkworms in her mouth, reeled thread from them, thereby beginning the art of sericulture the production of raw silk.

Encyclopedia Britannica

IN all the hue and cry that has surrounded Bernard Madoff since news of his preternaturally elaborate Ponzi scheme broke last December, we have chosen to concentrate our inquiry and analysis on the perpetrator and his far-flung world, as though we might thereby begin to answer the question of what made him tick.

The New York Times

However, a year after his defeat by Foot and Healey's consequent arrival as Labour's deputy leader, he made what many see as his single greatest contribution to Labour history: he saw off - by the narrowest of margins - a challenge from Tony Benn, which served to hobble the hard left and thereby begin Labour's road back to power.

The Guardian

Representing the interests of the church and the nobility, he secured a limitation of royal power (March 1430) in exchange for the nobles' recognition of the king's young son Władysław as the heir to the throne, thereby beginning the Polish tradition of an elective monarchy.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "thereby began" to clearly connect an action with its direct consequence, creating a cause-and-effect relationship in your writing. For example: "The treaty was signed, thereby began a period of peace."

Common error

Avoid using "thereby began" when the relationship between the two events is not directly causal. Make sure the first event directly leads to the initiation of the second. Otherwise, use a simple chronological connector like 'and then'.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "thereby began" functions as an adverbial phrase that links two events, indicating that the second event started as a direct result of the first. It establishes a cause-and-effect relationship, similar to examples provided by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Encyclopedias

25%

News & Media

25%

Wiki

25%

Less common in

Science

10%

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "thereby began" is a grammatically correct phrase used to establish a direct causal relationship between an action and its resulting initiation. According to Ludwig, it functions as an adverbial phrase, linking two events in a cause-and-effect manner. While the phrase is more common in formal and professional contexts such as encyclopedias and news media, it is less frequently used overall, making it a relatively rare construction. Alternatives like "thus commenced" or "and so started" can be used to vary sentence structure while maintaining clarity. When using "thereby began", ensure that the causal link is direct and evident to avoid misinterpretations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

thus commenced

Uses a more formal verb to indicate the beginning.

hence initiated

More formal, highlights the causal relationship.

and so started

More direct and less formal.

consequently arose

Focuses on the result or consequence.

as a result, started

Explicitly states the cause-and-effect relationship.

in this way, began

Highlights the method or manner of initiation.

thereupon commenced

A more archaic and formal alternative.

from that point, began

Emphasizes the temporal aspect of the beginning.

that action triggered

Focuses on the triggering event.

and with that, it started

A more narrative and informal alternative.

FAQs

How can I use "thereby began" in a sentence?

Use "thereby began" to show that something started as a direct result of a previous action or event. For example, "The new policy was implemented, thereby began a period of significant change".

What are some alternatives to "thereby began"?

Alternatives include phrases like "thus commenced", "hence initiated", or "and so started". Choose the alternative that best fits the formality and context of your writing.

Is it correct to use "thereby began" in formal writing?

Yes, "thereby began" is suitable for formal writing as it clearly indicates a cause-and-effect relationship and is grammatically correct. However, consider alternatives if you want to vary your sentence structure.

What's the difference between "thereby began" and "therefore began"?

"Thereby began" indicates that the beginning was a direct consequence of the previous action. "Therefore began" suggests a logical conclusion or inference. "Thereby" emphasizes the direct causal link, while "therefore" emphasizes reasoning.