What Is a Conjunctive Adverb? | Examples & List
Conjunctive adverbs (e.g., “however,” “therefore”) are adverbs that act in a similar way to conjunctions, linking the ideas in two sentences or statements together. Rather than modifying a single word, they modify the whole clause to express contrast, cause and effect, comparison, and other connections between two sentences or phrases.
It was too late to go to the party. Besides, he didn’t have anything to wear.
Franz went on a diet. As a result, he built some muscle.
How to use conjunctive adverbs
Conjunctive adverbs (e.g., “moreover,” “thus”) are transition words or phrases that demonstrate the connection between two sentences or statements. They are adverbs that act in a similar way to conjunctions; however, the conjunctive adverb punctuation rules are different to regular conjunction punctuation rules.
Conjunctive adverbs at the beginning of a sentence
While coordinating conjunctions (e.g., “and,” “but”) can link two independent clauses in one sentence with only a comma, conjunctive adverbs are not strong enough to be used in this way. Instead, you can end the first independent clause with a period followed by the conjunctive adverb, a comma, and the second independent clause.
- The night was cold and dark, but Gladys was prepared.
- The night was cold and dark, however, Gladys was prepared.
- The night was cold and dark. However, Gladys was prepared.
- Luka was an excellent cook, and he made everything from scratch.
- Luka was an excellent cook, moreover, he made everything from scratch.
- Luka was an excellent cook. Moreover, he made everything from scratch.
Conjunctive adverbs following a semicolon
To link two independent clauses in a single sentence with a conjunctive adverb, you need to use a semicolon after the first independent clause and follow the conjunctive adverb with a comma.
Using a semicolon instead of a period before the conjunctive adverb indicates a closer relationship between the two statements. It’s usually up to the writer whether to use a period or a semicolon.
The names of some animals are misleading; for example, a mountain chicken is a type of frog.
Conjunctive adverbs in the middle of a sentence
Conjunctive adverbs can also interrupt a clause. In this case, they often need to be preceded and followed by commas.
Wales, on the other hand, has a population of over 3 million.
- He couldn’t complete the crossword, however, hard he tried.
- He couldn’t complete the crossword however hard he tried.
Conjunctive adverb list
There are many conjunctive adverbs with a range of meanings. This list contains some of the most common conjunctive adverbs along with some examples.
| Use/Meaning | Conjunctive Adverbs | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Contrast | Alternatively Conversely However Instead On the other hand |
Alice decided not to play tennis. Instead, she played badminton. |
| Cause and Effect | Accordingly As a result Consequently Hence Therefore Thus |
Belle fell in love with the Beast; as a result, the curse was broken. |
| Illustration | For example For instance Namely Typically |
There are two subspecies of red panda; namely, the Himalayan red panda and the Chinese red panda. |
| Emphasis | After all Certainly Indeed In fact Of course Undoubtedly |
I never expected to see him here. In fact, I thought he’d moved away. |
| Comparison | Comparatively Equally Likewise Similarly |
Project A was a success. Likewise, Project B has exceeded our expectations. |
| Continuation/Addition | Additionally Also Furthermore In addition Moreover |
Gavin was grounded. In addition, he was given extra chores. |
| Time | At the same time Beforehand In the meantime Meanwhile Now |
Fred chopped the vegetables. At the same time, I made the sauce. |
| Sequence | Finally Next Subsequently Then |
Gather the ingredients. Next, mix them together. |
Frequently asked questions about conjunctive adverbs
- Is “but” a conjunctive adverb?
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“But” is not a conjunctive adverb; it’s a coordinating conjunction. This means it can join two independent clauses in one sentence when preceded by a comma. For example, “I wanted to buy a new car, but I didn’t have any money.”
Conjunctive adverbs, such as “however,” can’t join two independent clauses in this way. They need to be preceded by a period or a semicolon and followed by a comma: “I wanted to buy a new car; however, I didn’t have any money.”
- Is “however” a conjunctive adverb?
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“However” is a conjunctive adverb. Conjunctive adverbs are adverbs that act in a similar way to conjunctions, linking the ideas in two sentences or statements together. To join two independent clauses together with a conjunctive adverb, use a period or a semicolon after the first clause and a comma after the conjunctive adverb. For example, “the cat chased the mouse; however, the mouse got away.”
- Is “because” a conjunctive adverb?
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“Because” isn’t a conjunctive adverb; it’s a subordinating conjunction. Subordinating conjunctions connect subordinate clauses (aka dependent clauses) to independent clauses in a single sentence. For example, “I went to the beach because it was sunny.”
Conjunctive adverbs (e.g., “however,” “moreover”) are adverbs that act in a similar way to conjunctions, linking the ideas in two sentences or statements together. They can link independent clauses with the help of additional punctuation. For example, “it was sunny; therefore, I went to the beach.”
