Grammar-ease: Hence, thus, and therefore

The title “Hence, Thus, and Therefore” could almost be the name of something Shakespearean, couldn’t it?

This month’s grammar tip is for Richard, who commented on last month’s post with an inquiry about using ‘hence’ and ‘therefore’. I went off and sought answers and found ‘thus’ part of the mix.

To start, all three are conjunctive adverbs. And there are similarities, depending on usage.

Hence means from this place: Away; from this time;  because of a preceding fact or premise: Therefore*.

• We will reunite five years hence.
• She won the talent competition, hence her good spirits.
• They fell in love and hence they married.
• She grew up in Florida, hence her familiarity with palmetto bugs.

Therefore means for that reason: Consequently; because of that; on that ground; to that end*. It directly relates to reasoning. The term even has its own symbol in mathematics relating to deductive reasoning.

• I think, therefore I am.
• She was early and therefore had to wait out in the cold.
• He studied a lot, therefore making it easier for him to pass the test.
• I win, therefore you lose.
• He has a race tomorrow; therefore, he can’t stay out late tonight.

Thus means in this or that manner or way; to this degree or extend: So; because of this or that: Hence, Consequently; as an example*

• The professor described it thus…
• We’ve had quite a few examples thus far.
• He studied a lot, thus making it easier for him to pass the test.
• She’d always been corrected for proper grammar and thus always corrected others.

*Definitions taken from Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary 11th edition.

I’ve used ‘therefore’ in writing and conversation, but not ‘hence’ or ‘thus.’ Anyone else find the same is true? Or do you use ‘hence’ or ‘thus’ more than ‘therefore’?

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About Lisa Jackson

 Lisa Jackson is an independent editor, writer, New England region journalist, and a year-round chocolate and iced coffee lover. She writes fiction as Lisa Haselton, has an award-winning blog for book reviews and author interviews, and is on the staff of The Writer’s Chatroom where she gets to chat with best-selling authors, non-fiction writers, publishers, and other writing professionals on a weekly basis.