The consequences of this are

You usually place this phrase at the beginning of a new sentence or right after a comma to explain the result of the previous statement. Because consequences is plural, you must use are rather than is. You can follow it with a list of effects or a single, devastating impact. For example, 'The company ignored the safety warnings. The consequences of this are a total system failure and a PR nightmare.' It works best when the 'this' refers back to a clear, singular event or decision. Think of it as a pointer finger. It points back to the mistake and forward to the disaster. Just don't use it for small things like running out of milk, unless you're being very sarcastic!

This is a heavy-hitter in the world of formal English. You will find it in academic essays, business reports, and serious news articles. It sits comfortably at the C1 level because it requires a grasp of logical flow and professional tone. It’s not something you’d usually text to a friend while deciding where to grab tacos. However, you might use it in a 'serious' work email to sound more authoritative. If you use it in a casual setting, you might sound a bit like you’ve been reading too many 19th-century novels. Use it when you want to sound smart, objective, and maybe a little bit intimidating in a debate. It’s the tuxedo of transitional phrases.

You’ll see this all over the place if you look in the right corners of the internet. Think about a tech YouTuber explaining a major data breach. They might say, 'The server was left unsecured. The consequences of this are that millions of passwords are now public.' Or consider a LinkedIn post about leadership: 'Leaders often ignore employee burnout. The consequences of this are high turnover and low morale.' It’s also very common in climate change discussions or political analysis on sites like the BBC or The New York Times. It’s the phrase people use when they want to sound like they have a bird's-eye view of a complicated situation.

Use it when the stakes are high. It’s perfect for the 'Conclusion' or 'Analysis' section of a university paper. It’s great for a performance review at work when you need to explain why a project failed. It also works in serious personal discussions, like when you’re explaining to your roommate why leaving the stove on is a bad idea. Use it when you want to emphasize that an action wasn't just a 'whoopsie' but a 'significant event with measurable outcomes.' It’s a great way to transition from describing a problem to describing the solution or the fallout. It gives your argument a sense of inevitability and logic.

Avoid this phrase for trivial, everyday occurrences. If you say, 'I dropped my ice cream, and the consequences of this are a sticky shoe,' people might think you’re being a bit of a drama queen. Also, don't use it if the result isn't actually a 'consequence.' A consequence is usually negative or at least very serious. If you win the lottery, you wouldn't say, 'I won the lottery, and the consequences of this are that I'm now rich.' That sounds weird! Use 'results' or 'outcomes' instead for positive things. Also, avoid it in very casual slang-heavy conversations. It will kill the vibe faster than a surprise math quiz at a party.

One of the biggest blunders is subject-verb agreement. ✗ The consequences of this is ... → ✓ The consequences of this are ... Remember, consequences is plural! Another mistake is being too vague about what 'this' refers to. If you’ve just written three paragraphs about ten different problems, saying 'the consequences of this' is confusing. Which 'this' do you mean? Be specific. Another error is using it for purely positive things. ✗ The consequences of my hard work are a big promotion. → ✓ The result of my hard work is a big promotion. Keep 'consequences' for the heavy, serious, or negative stuff. It's just the way the word 'feels' to a native speaker.

If you want to spice things up, you can use similar phrases depending on your mood. The implications of this are is even more academic and focuses on what might happen in the future. The fallout from this is is more dramatic and usually refers to a scandal or a big mess. The upshot of this is is a bit more British and can sometimes be used for positive results. If you’re writing a quick email, you might just say This results in... or This leads to... which is shorter and punchier. But if you want that C1 academic 'glow,' stick with the original. It’s a classic for a reason.

Is this phrase too formal for an email? Not if the email is about a serious work issue. If you're reporting a bug or a budget deficit, it's perfect. If you're inviting someone to lunch, it's definitely too much. Does 'this' always have to be a bad thing? Usually, yes. In English, 'consequences' has a negative 'aura.' We rarely talk about the 'consequences' of a happy accident. Can I say 'the consequence of this is' (singular)? You can, but it's much less common. Usually, one action leads to multiple problems, so the plural 'consequences' sounds more natural and professional. It also makes you sound more thorough in your analysis.