Subjunctive adverbs join independent clauses and establish a relationship between ideas. Examples include “therefore”, “consequently”, “however”, “nevertheless”, and “furthermore”. The correct subjunctive adverb depends on the relationship of the ideas being expressed. A semicolon, not a comma, should be used to connect independent clauses.
A subjunctive adverb is a transition word used to join two independent clauses. There are many subjunctive adverbs and the meaning of the two independent clauses and their relationship to each other helps determine which subjunctive adverb might be used. A subjunctive adverb, like most adverbs, can appear in different parts of the sentence, but the punctuation for joining two independent clauses remains the same.
Independent clauses can often function like sentences, because they have a subject and a verb and express a complete idea. Examples of conjunctive adverbs include the words “therefore”, “consequently”, “however”, “nevertheless” and “furthermore”. These words allow the writer or speaker to switch from one idea to another by establishing a relationship between the two ideas.
The use of the correct subjunctive adverb depends on the relationship of the two clauses or ideas being expressed. “Therefore” and “consequently” usually mean something like “as a result of the foregoing”. For example, “Maryann has an intense fear of blue plates; therefore, she refuses to dine out without first her friends discovering the color of the dinnerware in a restaurant. The word “consequently” could be substituted for the word “therefore” in this sentence.
When used as conjunctive adverbs, “however” and “nevertheless” usually express a contrast in ideas. For example, “Maryann’s phobias often test the patience of her friends; however, she is lucky to have loyal friends who don’t care for her’s’ eccentricities. Both “nevertheless” and “nevertheless” could be used in this sentence, although the connotation or emotional associations of each word differ slightly. The word “however” sounds more innocuous and middle-of-the-road, while “however” expresses a hint of exasperation.
The word “further” is used to provide additional information. “Maryann’s fear of blue plates isn’t a big deal in her daily life; plus, her dislike of beige coffee mugs is really problematic, especially since she works at the local diner.” In this sentence the word “furthermore” can be replaced with “however” or “however”.
Grammar rules dictate that a semicolon should always be used to connect two independent clauses and a comma will not suffice. The following sentence is punctuated incorrectly: “Maryanne chose to work at the diner to deal with her phobia of her, however, she still shivers when she pours a cup of coffee for a customer.” A semicolon, not a comma, should be placed after the word “front.” This is true even when the subjunctive adverb appears elsewhere in the sentence: “Maryanne chose to work at the diner to face her phobia head on; she still shivers, however, when she pours a cup of coffee for a customer”.
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