however

When however is used to mean nevertheless, it provides transition between two contrasting or contradictory independent clauses that are separated by a semicolon or a period.

However may appear at the beginning, middle or end of the second clause. Note the punctuation patterns with however, which vary depending on its placement.

  • We made reservations to fly to Prince Edward Island in July; however, we were too early for the Dundas Plowing Match.
  • Sandra and Marc were invited to spend the weekend in the Laurentians; they were busy, however, and had to decline their friend’s invitation.
  • We made every effort to negotiate a solution. We were unable to resolve the issue, however.

Search by related themes

Want to learn more about a theme discussed on this page? Click on a link below to see all the pages on the Language Portal of Canada that relate to the theme you selected. The search results will be displayed in Language Navigator.

Date modified: