conjunctive adverb

A conjunctive adverb is an adverb that connects two clauses. Conjunctive adverbs show cause and effect, sequence, contrast, comparison, or other relationships.

Common conjunctive adverbs

Punctuation

The following rules are considered to be correct punctuation for conjunctive adverbs:

• Use a semicolon or period before the conjunctive adverb to separate two independent clauses joined by a conjunctive adverb. A conjunctive adverb is not strong enough to join two independent clauses without the aid of a semicolon.
• Use a comma following the conjunctive adverb when it appears at the beginning of the second clause unless the adverb is one syllable.^[3]

Like other adverbs, conjunctive adverbs may move around in the clause (or sentence) in which they appear. When they appear at the end of the clause, they are preceded by a comma. If they appear in the middle of the clause, they are normally enclosed in commas, though this rule is not absolute and is not always applied to very short clauses.

Examples

Independent clauses:

• He can leap tall buildings in a single bound; furthermore, Dwight Howard is a beast.
• He can leap tall buildings in a single bound. Furthermore, Dwight Howard is a beast.

• Brent enjoys video games; therefore, he is in good company.
• Brent enjoys video games. He is in good company, therefore.

• He went to the store; however, he did not buy anything.
• He went to the store. He did not buy anything, however.

• Stephanie lent me a barrel of pickled plums; consequently, she is my friend.
• Stephanie lent me a barrel of pickled plums. She is consequently my friend.

• I sat down alongside Adam; henceforth, he sang.

• Elaine wanted to high-five the friendly giant; consequently, she had to jump to reach him.

• Skylar was named after the sky and his father Tyler; likewise, Bryce was after his father Brian and rice.

• Alain can kickflip 13,456 stairs. Therefore, he is more of a beast than Dwight Howard.
• Alain can kickflip 13,456 stairs; therefore, he is more of a beast than Dwight Howard.

• Wyatt Gordon can jump 20 Billion stairs. Accordingly, he is more of a beast than Alain.
• Wyatt Gordon can jump 20 Billion stairs; accordingly, he is more of a beast than Alain.

• David Schmidt-Fellner tripped Wyatt Gordon, Alain, Dwight Howard, and Andrea Argenio down a flight of 36 trillion stairs. Thus, he is more beastly than Grendel.
• David Schmidt-Fellner tripped Wyatt Gordon, Alain, Dwight Howard, and Andrea Argenio down a flight of 36 trillion stairs; thus, he is more beastly than Grendel.

Source

• HyperGrammar: What is an Adverb?. Copyright 1994, 1995, and 1996 by the Faculty of Arts at the University of Ottawa.

See also

• Grammatical conjunction
• Transition words

Notes