All about conjunctive adverbs

What are adverbs?

An adverb is a word that modifies or describes another word in a sentence. While it’s similar to an adjective, you can tell the difference between the two based on what part of speech they are describing. Adverbs are used to describe verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, while adjectives only describe nouns and pronouns. Adverbs often end in -ly, but some (such as “fast”) look exactly the same as their adjective counterparts.

See how adverbs modify these certain types of words:

Verb: “Michael plays soccer badly.” The adverb “badly” adds detail to how an action is happening.
Adjective: “My cat is incredibly cute.” The adverb “incredibly” adds emphasis to the adjective “cute”.
Adverb: “The train is almost always late.” The adverb “almost” modifies “always”.

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How conjunctive adverbs connect ideas

Like the adverbs described above, conjunctive adverbs modify certain words or phrases in a sentence, only here it connects two independent clauses, which are complete thoughts that can stand alone as sentences.

Before you can use a conjunctive adverb, you need to identify the independent clauses you want to connect. Below are two independent clauses that stand on their own:

• John wanted to go to the movies.
• Mary preferred staying at home.

If you want to show a contrast between these two independent clauses, you would use a conjunctive adverb to show their relationship to each other:

• John wanted to go to the movies; however, Mary preferred staying at home.

Examples of conjunctive adverbs

Conjunctive adverbs help readers understand the relationship between those clauses, whether it’s a contrast, a cause-and-effect connection, or a sequence of events. Here are some examples you might be familiar with:

• However
• Nevertheless
• Meanwhile
• Furthermore
• Therefore
• Consequently
• Subsequently

How to use conjunctive adverbs

To solidify your understanding, let’s explore some examples of conjunctive adverbs in sentences.

• Contrast: Conjunctive adverbs like “however,” “nonetheless,” and “but” are excellent for expressing contrast between two ideas. They signal a shift in thought, emphasizing the difference between the clauses.
  Example: John wanted to go to the beach; however, it started raining heavily.
• Addition: When you want to add information or emphasize a point, conjunctive adverbs like “moreover” and “furthermore” are the best to share this meaning.
  Example: She aced the exam; moreover, she received a scholarship.
• Cause and effect: Conjunctive adverbs such as “therefore,” “consequently,” and “as a result” indicate a cause-and-effect relationship between clauses.
  Example: He missed the train; as a result, he was late for the meeting.
• Time: For conveying time relationships between events, use conjunctive adverbs like “meanwhile” and “subsequently.”
  Example: Sarah was cooking dinner; meanwhile, her husband set the table.

Conjunctive adverbs are powerful tools that can elevate your writing. Choosing the right conjunctive adverb for the job can completely change the meaning of your sentences, so understanding how they’re used can help your writing become more polished and coherent. If you’re looking to improve your writing game, check out tips for learning syntax, using capitalization in titles, and get inspired by advice from famous writers.