Kenneth G. Wilson (1923–). The Columbia Guide to Standard American English. 1993.
consist in, consist of
Consist in means “is inherent in or lies within”: His social success consists in being able to persuade everyone of his amiability. It usually occurs in sentences with singular subjects that consist in either singular or plural nominals. Consist of means “is composed or made up of”: His fleet consists of a day sailer, a canoe, and a small skiff. It usually appears in a sentence with a singular subject that consists of a plural group of nominals.
