When you tutor English, conjunctive adverbs come up – especially around due dates for important English compositions.

Following a semicolon, a conjunctive adverb can be used.  It leads to an attractive construction that can elevate your essay.

Their best pitcher was benched; nonetheless, they won the game.

I prefer pasta to meat; however, I really enjoyed your tacos.

In the above sentences, “nonetheless” and “however” are conjunctive adverbs.  In each case, the conjunctive adverb is placed after the semicolon.  The idea that follows – which must be a complete thought on its own – is rather surprising, given the idea that precedes the semicolon.

Conjunctive adverbs don’t have to lead to surprise.  Consider the following:

Put the cake in a preheated 350 degree oven; next, start the icing.

In the above sentence, “next” is a conjunctive adverb.

A conjunctive adverb is a word that links two ideas (hence, conjunctive), while describing a connection between the actions of each.  Often, the connection is irony: with however or nonetheless, the second idea seems surprising relative to the first. Likewise, the connection can be sequential – as with “next” – or cause-and-effect, as with “thus”.

Conjunctive adverbs can, of course, be used to begin sentences as well as after a semicolon.  Your English tutor encourages using them here and there in order to spice up your writing:)

Jack of Oracle Tutoring by Jack and Diane, Campbell River, BC.