"to consist of" vs "to consist in"

Question

"to consist of" vs "to consist in"

Both 'to consist in' and 'to consist of' are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'To consist of' is used to describe the components or elements that make up something, while 'to consist in' is used to describe the essence or nature of something.

Last Updated: March 22, 2024

Use 'to consist of' when you want to list the parts or elements that form something.

Alternatives:

to be composed of
to be made up of
to be constituted by
to be formed of

Use 'to consist in' when you want to express the essential nature or quality of something.

Alternatives:

to be based on
to lie in
to be inherent in
to be comprised of

Answer 1

to consist of

This phrase is correct and used to describe the components or elements that make up something.

Answer 2

to consist in

This phrase is correct and used to describe the essence or nature of something.

"to consist of" vs "to consist in"

to consist of

to consist in

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