Proper use of the word "consequently"
I would like to know whether the word "Consequently" can be followed by a verb without being separated by a comma! For instance, "His actions consequently led to the destruction of that beautiful car!"
The word 'consequently' has two meanings, as highlighted earlier.
According to the Free Dictionary;
- Consequently (adverb): As a result; therefore.
- Consequently (sentence connector): as a result or effect; therefore; hence
- The first form of the word 'consequently' is generally followed by a verb, normally without a comma.
E.g.
Since then, I have consequently become a Princeton professor.
Tomorrow, I will consequently write my GCSE Examination.
As Edwin Ashworth said in a comment, this form is best paraphrased by 'inevitably'.
This form of 'consequently' is not usually followed by a comma.
- In the second form of consequently, the word is almost always followed by a comma, followed by the pronoun 'it', or any other noun (or its equivalents like other pronouns).
E.g.
A prism looks like four triangles joined edge to edge. Consequently, it has four vertices and six edges.
I am not as good as Robert at kayaking; consequently, I must practise more than him.
Kelly was smarter than Martin; consequently, Martin needed to prove his worth to his master.
- I am in lockdown because of the present coronavirus pandemic, and consequently, I need my daughter to do a weekly shopping run.
- I can't work and consequently I can't pay my bills.
Again, as user Edwin Ashworth said in a comment, it is best paraphrased by 'for this reason'.
This form of the word is generally followed by a comma, though as the last example shows, this is not a strict rule. Note that the main clauses are short in that example. If there is the usual comma after this form of consequently, there will always be heavy-duty punctuation immediately before it (a semicolon etc, or full stop) or some punctuation before the 'and' (usually a comma).