"in consequence of"是一个介词短语,表示“由于……的结果”“因为……的缘故”,强调某个事件或情况是另一个事件的直接原因,突出“因果链条中的后果”。
它的语义与"because of" "due to" "owing to"接近,但更正式,常用于书面语(如公文、法律文本、学术文章)中。
作为介词短语,"in consequence of"后面必须接名词、代词或动名词(即“名词性成分”),不能直接接句子。
主语 + 谓语 + ... + in consequence of + 名词/代词/动名词
通过例子理解更清晰:
1、 接名词:
In consequence of the heavy snow, all flights were delayed.
(由于大雪,所有航班都延误了。)
2、 接代词:
The project failed in consequence of it—poor planning.
(项目失败是因为它——糟糕的规划。)
(注:这里的"it"指代前文提到的“poor planning”,避免重复。)
3、 接动名词:
She lost her job in consequence of missing too many meetings.
(她因为错过太多会议而丢了工作。)
要注意和副词短语"as a consequence"(= consequently,“因此”“结果”)区分:
"in consequence of"是介词短语,后接“原因”(名词性成分);
"as a consequence"是副词短语,后接“结果”(完整句子)。
例如:
In consequence of the storm, the road was blocked.(因为暴风雨,路被堵了。)
The storm was severe; as a consequence, the road was blocked.(暴风雨很严重,因此路被堵了。)
"in consequence of"更偏向正式语境,日常口语中更常用"because of"或"due to"。例如:
法律文本:The tenant was evicted in consequence of non-payment of rent.(租户因未付租金被驱逐。)
学术写作:The experiment was aborted in consequence of equipment failure.(实验因设备故障终止。)
综上,"in consequence of"的关键是连接“原因(名词性)”和“结果(句子主干)”,强调因果的直接性和正式性。