Introduction on Conjunctive Adverbs
Conjunctive adverbs modify the action or state of an adjective or noun. They are often used to indicate when, where, how, or why something is true.
Definition of Conjunctive Adverbs
Conjunctive adverbs are words that connect two or more clauses. For example, the sentence “I love you and my dog” has two clauses: I love you and my dog. The conjunctive adverb then connects these two clauses with a conjunction (and). A coordinating conjunction is a word like however, thus, therefore, nevertheless, still, then and thus that joins clauses when they are parallel in structure (i.e., the same amount of time passes between each clause).
List of Conjunctive Adverbs
There are many conjunctive adverbs, including:
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Ways to Use Conjunctive Adverbs in a Sentence
- Use to connect two independent clauses:
- Use with a noun or pronoun referring to an action, state of being, or condition:
- Use with the verb “to be”:
Examples of Conjunctive Adverbs
- On the other hand, however, nevertheless and so are conjunctive adverbs that modify the verbs they follow.
- But on the other hand, whereas and although are also used to add information to a sentence.
- However and moreover make stronger statements than while; they’re more emphatic than but and less emphatic than nevertheless. They can be used alone as well as in conjunction with some other word or phrase (hence: “Therefore”).
Conjunctive Adverbs vs Transitional Phrases
When you’re looking at conjunctive adverbs and transitional phrases, it’s easy to think that one is an exception to the other. But this isn’t always true. Conjunctive adverbs can be used in different ways, depending on their subject matter.
Transitional phrases are used to connect two sentences, which means that they’d normally appear before or after a sentence rather than within it (like a clause). For example: “This is my cat.” This sentence contains a clause (“this” is the subject), but there isn’t anything connecting it with another clause or sentence yet; therefore, we call this kind of connection “transitional.” A sentence like “This is my cat,” however—which contains no clauses at all—is called an independent clause because there isn’t anything connecting two parts of what would otherwise be considered one logical thought structure together (i.e., if I wanted to say something like “I am going shopping today”). In these situations where we want our thoughts/sentences connected more closely than usual because they’re part of some bigger idea being discussed/imagined/etc., then we use conjunctions such as “and” or even just having both ideas together in one word: “They went shopping yesterday but they didn’t buy anything because they were too tired from walking around all day long.”
Conjunctive Adverbs Are Useful in Writing to Create Smooth Transitions Between Ideas
Conjunctive adverbs are useful in writing to create smooth transitions between ideas. They often connect two clauses and sentences, but can also be used for other purposes such as to add emphasis or make a point.
Conjunctive adverbs like “very”, “rather” and “also” modify the verb within their clause by adding information about how they relate to something else in the sentence. For example:
- I would rather go out than stay here all day doing nothing at home.
- We did not sleep well last night because we were very excited about going on holiday this weekend; moreover, I think it’s going to rain tomorrow so maybe we should stay somewhere else until Sunday instead?
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Frequently Asked Questions on Conjunctive Adverbs
Question: What is a conjunctive adverbs?
A conjunctive adverb is a word that modifies a verb or adjective. An example would be “He ran fast”. In this sentence, the word “fast” is modifying the verb “ran”. Another example would be “She was happy”. In this case, the word “happy” is modifying the adjective “she”. A conjunctive adverb can be placed at the beginning, middle, or end of a sentence.
Question: How do I know if my sentence contains a conjunctive adverbat?
There are two ways to tell if a sentence contains a conjunitive adverb. First, look for words that begin with “to” followed by a noun or pronoun. If you find any of these words, then the sentence probably contains a conjunctive. Second, look for words that end with “ly”. If you find any words ending with “ly’, then the sentence probably has a conjunctive.
Question: Why does a sentence containing a conjunctive adword sound awkward?
When a sentence contains a conjunctival adverb, it sounds awkward because it makes the sentence seem incomplete. For example, “I am going to run” sounds incomplete because we don’t know what else he is going to do. However, “I am running” doesn’t sound incomplete because we already know what he is doing.
Question: Can I use a conjunctive adwords in place of a prepositional phrase?
Yes! You can use a conjunctive in place of a preposition. For example, instead of saying “The man went home”, you could say “The man went to his house”.
Question: Is there anything wrong with using a conjunctive adverbs?
No! There is nothing wrong with using a conjunctival adverbs. Just make sure they fit the context of the sentence.
