# Grammar question - "consists in" vs "consists of"

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question-consists-in-vs-consists-of/299264>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 14, 2005, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question-consists-in-vs-consists-of/299264 "2005-04-14T11:08:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![primer\_dimer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@primer\_dimer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/primer_dimer)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2005, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question-consists-in-vs-consists-of/299264/1 "2005-04-14T11:08:59Z")

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Title says it all really…can someone furnish an explanation of when the use of each of these phrases would be appropriate? I originall thought that this would be easy to Google for, but all I could turn up was these:

[http://webster.commnet.edu/grammar/grammarlogs5/grammarlogs609.htm](http://webster.commnet.edu/grammar/grammarlogs5/grammarlogs609.htm)

[http://webster.commnet.edu/grammar/grammarlogs4/grammarlogs577.htm](http://webster.commnet.edu/grammar/grammarlogs4/grammarlogs577.htm)

in which the replies are kind of tentative. A few more examples of when it’s correct to use each phrase would be handy. Maybe someone who knows how to get the SDMB search engine to look for these exact phrases can help? I know we have a few people on the boards who take an interest in grammar… 🙂

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**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2005, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question-consists-in-vs-consists-of/299264/2 "2005-04-14T11:55:33Z")

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The word “consist” has slightly different meanings in the phrases “to consist of” and “to consist in”.

From _Collins_:

> [@](#):
>
> **consist** VERB _intr_ (1) (followed by _of_) to be composed (of), to be formed (of): _syrup consists of sugar and water_. (2) (followed by _in_) to have its existence (in), lie (in), be expressed (by): _his religion consists only in going to church_…

An example of the latter is this quote from Woodrow Wilson:

> [@](#):
>
> Power consists in one’s capacity to link his will with the purpose of others, to lead by reason and a gift of cooperation.

There is some overlap between the senses, but for this quote “consists of” would be incorrect.

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**Author:** ![Applepom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3bc359/32.png) [@Applepom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Applepom)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question-consists-in-vs-consists-of/299264/3 "2011-07-19T19:33:10Z")

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Hi

What I learned at school:

CONSIST OF + COMPLEMENT/NOUN

e.g. Bread ingredients consist of flour, yeast and water.

CONSIST IN + ACTION/VERB

e.g. Making bread consists in mixing flour, yeast and water.