Making Arguments: How to Use Thus, Therefore, and Consequently

A hallmark of good writing is the ability to create clear connections between ideas. Whether it is a persuasive essay or a scientific paper, leading the reader through an easy-to-understand thought process from premise to conclusion is vital for making a convincing argument. This can be achieved in many ways, but one of the most common is using conjunctive adverbs.

That’s a scary-sounding phrase, but it really describes something very simple. In fact, you probably see conjunctive adverbs all the time. Words like however, moreover, therefore, and consequently all fall into this category. When you need to connect two related ideas, you can use conjunctive adverbs to indicate how those ideas connect. Here, we are going to explain how

to make arguments using three common, but easily confused conjunctive adverbs: thus, therefore, and consequently. To make it easier to follow, we are going to call premises A, and color them like this, and we are going to call conclusions B, and color them like this.

Therefore

The word therefore is for a direct, causal relationship between two ideas. It would be used in a situation where idea A always leads to idea B. When presenting a logical argument or stating a mathematical fact, this is the word to use.

Correct Example: Gravity accelerates all falling objects equally. Therefore, two objects with different weights will hit the ground at the same time when dropped from the same height.

The example above describes a physical law. The word therefore is correct here because A will always lead to B. The word consequently would not technically be wrong here, but as we’ll see later it does not imply the example’s intrinsic connection between A and B.

Incorrect Example: Dogs have been domesticated for around 20,000 years. Therefore they are one of most popular animals to keep as a pet.

The word therefore is not correct to use here. This is because A does not automatically imply B in a predictable way. How long an animal has been domesticated does not relate to its popularity as a pet. The correct word here would be thus, which describes the connection, but does not imply a universal rule.

Thus

Using thus is slightly different than using therefore because while it can show that A explains B, it does not necessarily mean that A is a direct cause of B. It is often used when B is a possible application of A.

Correct Example: The color blue increases focus and productivity; thus schools often paint classrooms blue.

Here, thus is used to show the connection between A and B without implying the two ideas are automatically connected. Classrooms can be painted blue for reasons outside of A, and rooms that are not classrooms could also be painted blue because A. The word thus shows that B is an example of how A, but not an automatic result of it.

Thus does not imply a specific relationship between two ideas. This means it can usually take the place of therefore without being logically or grammatically wrong, but the switch does not usually work the other way. The example in at the bottom of the therefore section shows this.

Consequently

Comparing consequently to therefore and thus can be especially confusing because the difference in how they’re used is very subtle.

For consequently vs. therefore, both words describe a direct causal relationship from A to B, but

Therefore is used to describe connections through logic.

Consequently is generally used to describe situations where A has led to B, but that

For consequently vs. thus, both words describe B when it is not guaranteed to follow from A.

Thus describes a circumstance where B can follow from A, but B isn’t guaranteed.

Consequently describes a situation where B has already followed A, and this outcome is being noted.

Example: Following the Black Plague, Europe’s workforce was much smaller. Consequently, peasants were then able to demand better wages and conditions.

Consequently is a great word to describe events of history or sociological changes because it connects two actions in time. One came first, and led to the other. Therefore would be wrong to use in this context because though the events have a causal relationship, they are not automatically linked. Thus could fill a similar purpose to consequently, but it is less specific,

making it a less impactful choice for crafting an argument.

By using conjunctive adverbs correctly, you can make better, easier to understand arguments in English. Developing these writing skills will make you a more effective writer, and give you the tools to create publishable work. Of course, thus, therefore, and consequently are only the tip of the iceberg. If you want to learn more about how to express your ideas in English, contact me.