Skip to main content

Commas with Transition Words

Quick and Dirty Tips
  • Podcasts
    • Grammar Girl
    • Get-Fit Guy
    • Money Girl
    • Project Parenthood
    • Relationship Doctor
    • Modern Mentor
    • Nutrition Diva
    • Savvy Psychologist
    • Who Knew?
    • Curious State
    • Unknown History
    • Modern Manners Guy
  • Books
  • Categories
    • Health & Fitness
    • House & Home
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
    • Pets
    • Education
    • Tech
    • Productivity
    • Business & Career
    • Money & Finance
  • Offers
  • About QDT

What's Hot

What Should You Wear to the Gym?

December 1, 2023

Your Money and Cybersecurity with Adam Levin

December 1, 2023

10 Best Personal Finance Tools and Budgeting Apps

November 22, 2023
opens in a new window Facebook opens in a new window Twitter opens in a new window Instagram
Quick and Dirty Tips
  • Podcasts
    • Grammar Girl
    • Get-Fit Guy
    • Money Girl
    • Project Parenthood
    • Relationship Doctor
    • Modern Mentor
    • Nutrition Diva
    • Savvy Psychologist
    • Who Knew?
    • Curious State
    • Unknown History
    • Modern Manners Guy
  • Books
  • Categories
    • Health & Fitness
    • House & Home
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
    • Pets
    • Education
    • Tech
    • Productivity
    • Business & Career
    • Money & Finance
  • Offers
  • About QDT
opens in a new window Facebook opens in a new window Twitter opens in a new window Instagram opens in a new window Pinterest
Quick and Dirty Tips
You are at:Home » Commas with Transition Words
Grammar Girl

Commas with Transition Words

Have you ever wondered how to use a comma with however (or if you even should)? Here's the scoop on using commas and semicolons with however, therefore, and other conjunctive adverbs and transition words.

By Mignon FogartyJune 8, 2017No Comments5 Mins Read
opens in a new window Facebook opens in a new window Twitter opens in a new window Pinterest opens in a new window LinkedIn opens in a new window Tumblr opens in a new window Email
opens in a new window Apple Podcast Page opens in a new window Spotify Podcast Page opens in a new window Google Podcast Page opens in a new window Amazon Play Podcast Page
opens IMAGE file
Share
opens in a new window Facebook opens in a new window Twitter opens in a new window Pinterest opens in a new window WhatsApp opens in a new window Email

Two weeks ago, we talked about opens in a new windowcomma splices—errors that happen when you join two main clauses with just a comma–but you can make the same kind of mistake if you aren’t careful when joining two main clauses with conjunctive adverbs such as however, therefore, furthermore, and nevertheless.

Two Main Clauses

Remember, a main clause, also known as an independent clause, is just something that could be a complete sentence if it were all by itself. If you’re joining two main clauses with a conjunctive adverb, you need a semicolon before that adverb, and a comma after. That adverb needs to be snuggled between a semicolon and a comma.

Think about this example. Imagine I’m worried about a library book that is due tomorrow:

I’m not finished reading it; moreover, I left it at Steve’s house.

I’m not finished reading it is a main clause, and I left it at Steve’s house is a main clause, so I need a semicolon before moreover and a comma after it.

Or, in the same way you can fix a comma splice with a period, I could also separate the two main clauses with a period:

I’m not finished reading it. Moreover, I left it at Steve’s house.

Adverbs in the Middle

This is where it gets tricky because sometimes conjunctive adverbs come in the middle of your sentence and aren’t followed by a main clause, and then you can just sandwich them between two commas. Here are some examples of sentences like that:

I’ll wager, moreover, that the library won’t cut me any slack on the fine.

Fines are, however, an important tool the library uses to get people to return books on time.

In both those sentences, the part after the adverb isn’t a main clause, so I just used a comma before and after the words moreover and however.


Semicolons with Transition Words

The same rules apply to transition words and phrases such as for example, in other words, and on the other hand,

If you’re joining two main clauses, you use a semicolon and comma just like you did before, but if the part after the transition isn’t a main clause, then you use two commas.

First think about this example:

I might be able to get it back in time; for example, I could ask Steve to bring it by before work.

I might be able to get it back in time is a main clause, and so is I could ask Steve to bring it by before work, so I snuggle for example between a semicolon and a comma.

Commas with Transition Words

Now think about this example:

I could ask Steve to bring it by, for example, before work or during his lunch hour.

Now the part after for example is just a couple of prepositional phrases, not a main clause, so you don’t need a semicolon. You just use two commas–one before for example and one after.

It all depends on whether the part that comes after the transition is a main clause or not, and it’s easy to get distracted, but just remember with a main clause after your transition word, you need a semicolon before and a comma after, and without a main clause, you can get away with two commas.

Exercises

Here are some practice sentence. Fill in the right punctuation:

  1. You need to help with the housework furthermore I need a vacation.
  2. Bring Squiggly something he’ll like for example he likes chocolate mousse and cheesecake.
  3. This test will make up 50 percent of your grade therefore it’s important that you study.
  4. We will therefore double our practice schedule.
  5. You need to clean your room before you go to the movies therefore get cracking!
  6. Jimmy threw a rock at the beehive consequently all the kids got stung.
  7. Aardvark is however the best fisherman on the bass circuit.
  8. Mandy practices piano all day similarly you can’t tear Brandon away from his violin.
  9. I cooked Sammy’s favorite dinner nevertheless he wouldn’t come out of his room.
  10. Not enough players showed up in other words they had to forfeit the game.

Answers are on the next page.

A list of conjunctive adverbs.


Answers

  1. You need to help with the housework; furthermore, I need a vacation.
  2. Bring Squiggly something he’ll like; for example, he likes chocolate mousse and cheesecake.
  3. This test will make up 50 percent of your grade; therefore, it’s important that you study.
  4. We will, therefore, double our practice schedule. *
  5. You need to clean your room before you go to the movies; therefore, get cracking!
  6. Jimmy threw a rock at the beehive; consequently, all the kids got stung.
  7. Aardvark is, however, the best fisherman on the bass circuit.
  8. Mandy practices piano all day; similarly, you can’t tear Brandon away from his violin.
  9. I cooked Sammy’s favorite dinner; nevertheless, he wouldn’t come out of his room.
  10. Not enough players showed up; in other words, they had to forfeit the game.

* In her book “The Best Punctuation Book, Period,” June Casagrande says “Sentence adverbs like ‘however,’ ‘therefore,’ and ‘indeed’ may or may not be set off with commas, depending on whether the writer judges them to be parenthetical insertions or well integrated into the sentence.” Therefore, the commas in this sentence are optional.

Mignon Fogarty
  • opens in a new window Facebook
  • opens in a new window Instagram
  • opens in a new window LinkedIn

Mignon Fogarty is the founder of Quick and Dirty Tips and the author of seven books on language, including the New York Times bestseller "Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing." She is an inductee in the Podcasting Hall of Fame, and the show is a five-time winner of Best Education Podcast in the Podcast Awards. She has appeared as a guest expert on the Oprah Winfrey Show and the Today Show. Her popular LinkedIn Learning courses help people write better to communicate better. Find her on Mastodon.


Add A Comment

Comments are closed.

Don't Miss

What Should You Wear to the Gym?

By Kevin DonDecember 1, 2023

Workout Gear and Supplies  A few weeks ago, I spoke about training shoes. What kind…

Your Money and Cybersecurity with Adam Levin

December 1, 2023

10 Best Personal Finance Tools and Budgeting Apps

November 22, 2023

HSAs in 2024–Understanding Changes and Maximizing Benefits

November 21, 2023

Stay In Touch

  • opens in a new window Facebook 12K
  • opens in a new window Twitter 25.7K
  • opens in a new window Pinterest 18.5K
  • opens in a new window Instagram 123K
  • opens in a new window YouTube 23K
  • opens in a new window Vimeo 11.2K

Our Picks

What Should You Wear to the Gym?

By Kevin DonDecember 1, 2023

Your Money and Cybersecurity with Adam Levin

By Laura Adams, MBADecember 1, 2023

10 Best Personal Finance Tools and Budgeting Apps

By Laura Adams, MBANovember 22, 2023
opens in a new window Demo

Subscribe

opens in a new window Mignon Fogarty for Apple Podcast Page opens in a new window Mignon Fogarty for Spotify Podcast Page opens in a new window Mignon Fogarty for Google Podcast Page opens in a new window Amazon Play Podcast Page

Books

Book Cover for Quick and dirty Tips for Better Writing
opens in a new windowBook Cover for Quick and dirty Tips for Better Writing image for Amazon.com opens in a new windowBook Cover for Quick and dirty Tips for Better Writing image for Barnes and Noble opens in a new windowBook Cover for Quick and dirty Tips for Better Writing image for IndiBOund opens in a new windowBook Cover for Quick and dirty Tips for Better Writing image for  Apple iBookstore opens in a new windowBook Cover for Quick and dirty Tips for Better Writing image for Teaser
Ultimate Writing Guide
opens in a new windowUltimate Writing Guide image for Amazon.com opens in a new windowUltimate Writing Guide image for Barnes and Noble opens in a new windowUltimate Writing Guide image for IndiBOund opens in a new windowUltimate Writing Guide image for  Apple iBookstore
The Grammar Daily
opens in a new windowThe Grammar Daily image for Amazon.com opens in a new windowThe Grammar Daily image for Barnes and Noble opens in a new windowThe Grammar Daily image for IndiBOund opens in a new windowThe Grammar Daily image for Teaser
101 Words to sound
opens in a new window101 Words to sound image for Amazon.com opens in a new window101 Words to sound image for Barnes and Noble opens in a new window101 Words to sound image for IndiBOund opens in a new window101 Words to sound image for  Apple iBookstore
101 words every high school graduate
opens in a new window101 words every high school graduate image for Amazon.com opens in a new window101 words every high school graduate image for Barnes and Noble opens in a new window101 words every high school graduate image for IndiBOund opens in a new window101 words every high school graduate image for  Apple iBookstore
101 misused words
opens in a new window101 misused words image for Amazon.com opens in a new window101 misused words image for Barnes and Noble opens in a new window101 misused words image for IndiBOund opens in a new window101 misused words image for  Apple iBookstore
101 troublesome master
opens in a new window101 troublesome master image for Amazon.com opens in a new window101 troublesome master image for Barnes and Noble opens in a new window101 troublesome master image for IndiBOund opens in a new window101 troublesome master image for  Apple iBookstore
Punctuation 911
opens in a new windowPunctuation 911 image for Amazon.com opens in a new windowPunctuation 911 image for Barnes and Noble opens in a new windowPunctuation 911 image for  Apple iBookstore
Clean up your wrirting
opens in a new windowClean up your wrirting image for Amazon.com opens in a new windowClean up your wrirting image for  Apple iBookstore opens in a new windowClean up your wrirting image for Teaser

Don't miss

Never miss another tip! Join our list to get updates from your favorite hosts delivered straight to your inbox
Sign Up

ABOUT US

logo-img

Whether you want to manage your money better, rock your professional life, stay fit and eat healthy, or discover the keys to better mental health, Quick and Dirty Tips delivers short-form podcasts and articles every week to keep you at the top of your game, usually in ten minutes or less!

Email: contact@quickanddirtytips.comcreate new email

QUICK LINKS

  • opens in a new windowHealth & Fitness
  • opens in a new windowHouse & Home
  • opens in a new windowParenting
  • opens in a new windowRelationships
  • opens in a new windowPets
  • opens in a new windowEducation
  • opens in a new windowTech
  • opens in a new windowProductivity
  • opens in a new windowBusiness & Career
  • opens in a new windowMoney & Finance
  • opens in a new windowHow to listen
  • opens in a new windowPrivacy notice
  • opens in a new windowYour Privacy Choices Button Image
  • opens in a new windowAds & Cookies
  • opens in a new windowTerms of Use
  • opens in a new windowAbout QDT
  • opens in a new windowOur Hosts

OUR PICKS

What Should You Wear to the Gym?

December 1, 2023

Your Money and Cybersecurity with Adam Levin

December 1, 2023

10 Best Personal Finance Tools and Budgeting Apps

November 22, 2023
opens in a new window Facebook opens in a new window Twitter opens in a new window Instagram
Copyright © 2023 Macmillan Publishing Group, LLC. Quick & Dirty Tips™ and related trademarks appearing on this website are the property of Mignon Fogarty, Inc. and Macmillan Publishing Group, LLC.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.