How to use "thereupon"

What Does "thereupon" Mean?

• Grammatical function: consequence, sequence
• Typical sentence position: initial / medial
• Register: formal

How to Use It

• Syntactic patterns: Thereupon is followed by a clause, often an independent clause, describing the immediate result of a previous action. It is preceded by a statement of the initial event or condition.
• Punctuation rules: When thereupon begins a sentence, it is usually followed by a comma. When it appears mid-sentence, it is often set off by commas (or other punctuation) depending on the flow and emphasis desired. No punctuation is needed after "thereupon" when it is followed directly by a verb.
• Grammatical flexibility: Thereupon can start a sentence or appear within it. It cannot be easily negated. Its placement can slightly alter the emphasis of the sentence.
• What sounds unnatural or incorrect: Using thereupon in informal conversation or in very simple sentences sounds unnatural. Avoid using it when a more common and less formal alternative would suffice.

Real-World Examples

These examples are sourced from thereupon on Ludwig.guru.

"The PNC thereupon nationalised to right and left, played footy-footy with Russia, pushed incomes below Haitian levels and for a generation rigged elections." — The Economist

"Mr Byers thereupon announced that both Ms Moore and Mr Sixsmith had resigned." — The Economist

"The government's core allegation is that Mr Skilling used accounting trickery, false public statements and other devices to inflate Enron's share price, thereupon cashing in his share options." — The Economist

"Thereupon the pope excommunicated William." — Encyclopedia Britannica

"Charles thereupon dissolved Parliament on May 5." — Encyclopedia Britannica

Examples sourced from https://ludwig.guru/s/thereupon

Similar Phrases and Alternatives

Phrase	Context
after that	Neutral; suitable for both formal and informal contexts.
subsequently	Formal; emphasizes the sequence of events.
as a consequence	Formal; highlights the cause-and-effect relationship.
following that	Neutral to formal; suitable for written narratives.
immediately after	Neutral; emphasizes the short time interval.
then	Informal; the most common and versatile alternative.
thereafter	Formal; indicates a period of time following an event.

Common Mistakes

• Using thereupon in casual conversation makes the speaker sound overly formal or pretentious.
• Forgetting the comma after thereupon when it starts a sentence can make the sentence read awkwardly.
• Confusing thereupon with similar connectives like "thereof" or "therewith" can lead to nonsensical sentences.
• Learners often confuse "thereupon" with similar adverbs or transitional phrases, using it in inappropriate contexts or registers due to its formality.

Quick-Reference Summary

Expression	Function	Register	Typical Position
thereupon	Consequence, sequence	Formal	Initial / Medial

FAQs

Where can "thereupon" appear in a sentence?

Thereupon can appear at the beginning of a sentence, often followed by a comma, or within the sentence, usually after the subject and verb. Its placement can subtly alter the emphasis, but it generally maintains the same meaning: indicating what happened immediately after a prior event.

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How does "thereupon" differ from "then"?

While both thereupon and "then" indicate a sequence of events, thereupon is significantly more formal and suggests a direct causal link. "Then" is much more versatile and appropriate for both formal and informal contexts, whereas thereupon is reserved for formal writing.

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I used "thereupon" in a casual conversation, was that correct?

Using thereupon in a casual conversation would likely sound overly formal and unnatural. It's best to reserve thereupon for formal writing or situations where a more elevated tone is appropriate; "then" or "after that" are better choices for everyday speech.