Mixing up the two adverbs ‘consequently’ and ‘subsequently’ is a fairly common mistake. Although they might seem quite similar, they have two very distinct meanings. One is used when explaining the reason why something happened and the other is used when explaining when something happened.
Learning more about their definitions and usage means you will be able to use these subtly different words with confidence in your writing.
Consequently
The word ‘consequently’ is what’s known as a conjunctive adverb. It means ‘as a result of…’ or ‘as a consequence’ and always follows a cause. It would be used in a sentence like this:
‘There was a terrible thunderstorm. Consequently, their flight was delayed’.
Subsequently
The adverb ‘subsequently’ is an adverb meaning ‘next’ or ‘following on from…’. It has nothing to do with causation or the reason why something takes place, but only describes when something took place (that is, after a certain event). It would be used in a sentence like this:
‘Many of those who voted for the Labor Party subsequently regretted their decision’.
It is helpful to think of this word as being formed of two parts. The suffix ‘sequently’ refers to the sequence of events and ‘sub’ can be thought of as meaning ‘after’. This will help you to remember that ‘subsequently’ means ‘after the event’.
The Difference
It is easy to see why the two adverbs are so often confused. ‘Consequently’ and ‘subsequently’ could be used in exactly the same place in a sentence. However, the meaning of the sentence would be changed by the word choice. Take, for example:
1) ‘A volcano erupted in Hawaii. Consequently, local residents moved away’.
2) ‘A volcano erupted in Hawaii. Subsequently, local residents moved away’.
We know from the first sentence that the volcano eruption was the reason why local residents moved. However, it is not clear form the second sentence why the residents moved away, simply that they moved after the eruption.
Consequently is about causation and subsequently is about the timeline of events.
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Learning more about their definitions and usage means you will be able to use these subtly different words with confidence in your writing.
Consequently
The word ‘consequently’ is what’s known as a conjunctive adverb. It means ‘as a result of…’ or ‘as a consequence’ and always follows a cause. It would be used in a sentence like this:
‘There was a terrible thunderstorm. Consequently, their flight was delayed’.
Subsequently
The adverb ‘subsequently’ is an adverb meaning ‘next’ or ‘following on from…’. It has nothing to do with causation or the reason why something takes place, but only describes when something took place (that is, after a certain event). It would be used in a sentence like this:
‘Many of those who voted for the Labor Party subsequently regretted their decision’.
It is helpful to think of this word as being formed of two parts. The suffix ‘sequently’ refers to the sequence of events and ‘sub’ can be thought of as meaning ‘after’. This will help you to remember that ‘subsequently’ means ‘after the event’.
The Difference
It is easy to see why the two adverbs are so often confused. ‘Consequently’ and ‘subsequently’ could be used in exactly the same place in a sentence. However, the meaning of the sentence would be changed by the word choice. Take, for example:
1) ‘A volcano erupted in Hawaii. Consequently, local residents moved away’.
2) ‘A volcano erupted in Hawaii. Subsequently, local residents moved away’.
We know from the first sentence that the volcano eruption was the reason why local residents moved. However, it is not clear form the second sentence why the residents moved away, simply that they moved after the eruption.
Consequently is about causation and subsequently is about the timeline of events.
If you would like some more guidance and advice about academic writing, or would like to have a 500 word sample of your work proofread for free, get in touch with the professionals at Proofread My Document!