Comments on: However, …

By: John Cowan

John Cowan — Wed, 13 May 2009 23:44:59 +0000

You Brits have been dropping the traditional punctuation marks with all possible speed, whereas we Yanks remain firmly in a commatose condition. When I looked through the Grauniad’s style guide, the lack of marks appalled me.

However, the notion that however can’t or shouldn’t be clause-initial when used as a sentence adverb has no foundation in fact.

By: Eddie

Eddie — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 15:28:53 +0000

I believe it should actually be re-written as (… road closures; however, we will …) and not (…road closures. However, we will …). In this context “however” is used as a conjunction connecting two statements where the second contrasts with the first. “…however, we will” is a clause and does not stand alone as a sentence.

By: Graham

Graham — Sun, 04 May 2008 11:39:45 +0000

Yes, Dave, a semi-colon would work just as well.

By: Dave

Dave — Sun, 04 May 2008 03:14:58 +0000

Couldn’t you also use a semicolon here? For example, “. . . road closures; however, we will do everything possible to open lanes as soon as we can.”

By: Casey

Casey — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 17:21:58 +0000

Totally agree; it’s one of my pet peeves. Strunk & White put it well: “Avoid starting a sentence with however when the meaning is ‘nevertheless.’”

“Nevertheless” in M-W even brings up “however.” M-W also lists however as a conjunction, FYI.