How to use "however"

What Does "however" Mean?

• Grammatical function: "However" is primarily a conjunctive adverb used to express contrast or concession. It signals that the following information contradicts, modifies, or limits the preceding statement.
• Typical sentence position: It is highly mobile and can appear in the initial, medial, or final position of a sentence or clause.
• Register: It is generally formal to neutral, making it a staple of academic, journalistic, and professional writing.

How to Use It

• Syntactic patterns: When used as a connector, it usually introduces a new independent clause. It can also function as an adverb of degree (meaning "to whatever extent"), followed immediately by an adjective or adverb.
• Punctuation rules: If starting a sentence, follow it with a comma. If used to join two independent clauses, precede it with a semicolon and follow it with a comma. When used medially (as a parenthetical), it should be enclosed in commas.
• Grammatical flexibility: It is one of the most flexible connectors in English. It can be moved within a sentence to change the emphasis of the contrast.
• What sounds unnatural: Using "however" as a simple coordinating conjunction (like "but") without proper punctuation is a major stylistic error.

Real-World Examples

These examples are sourced from however on Ludwig.guru.

"However, the second—with a 0.5% formulation—was supported by the results, published in February, of a smaller trial run by the HIV Prevention Trials Network." — The Economist

"The rules do allow, however, for former employees collecting retirement benefits to serve as independent directors." — The New York Times

"All is not lost, however." — The New York Times

"The big banks have the further advantage of their brands, however tattered the brands may be." — The Economist

"Arquette's call to arms, however, is hindered by the fact no one really knows how bad the problem is." — The Guardian

Similar Phrases and Alternatives

Phrase	Context
nevertheless	More formal; emphasizes that something is true despite what was just said.
nonetheless	Interchangeable with nevertheless; highly formal and concessive.
but	Neutral/Informal; a coordinating conjunction used for direct contrast.
yet	Neutral; implies a surprising contrast or persistence of a situation.
conversely	Formal; used to introduce an idea that is the opposite of the previous one.
on the other hand	Neutral; used to present a different or opposing point of view.

Common Mistakes

• The Comma Splice: Learners often use it as a coordinating conjunction to join two independent clauses with only a comma (creating a comma splice) instead of using a semicolon or starting a new sentence.
• Overuse at the start: While grammatically correct, starting every contrasting sentence with "However," can make writing feel repetitive; try placing it in the medial position for variety.
• Confusion with 'But': Unlike "but," however cannot join two clauses with just a comma; it requires stronger punctuation to separate the distinct thoughts.

Quick-Reference Summary

Expression	Function	Register	Typical Position
however	Contrast / Concession	Formal / Neutral	Initial, Medial, or Final

FAQs

Can however be placed anywhere in a sentence

Yes, however is highly flexible and can appear at the beginning, middle, or end of a sentence. When placed in the medial position, it usually functions as a parenthetical and must be set off by commas on both sides. At the end of a sentence, it is preceded by a comma to provide a trailing contrast.

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What is the difference between however and but

The primary difference is that but is a coordinating conjunction used to join two clauses within a single sentence, whereas however is a conjunctive adverb. While but is more informal and requires only a comma, however is more formal and typically requires a semicolon or a new sentence to avoid grammatical errors.

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Is it wrong to use a comma before however when joining two thoughts

Using only a comma to join two independent clauses with however results in a comma splice, which is a common grammatical error. To correctly join two thoughts, you must use a semicolon before however and a comma after it. Alternatively, you can end the first thought with a period and start a new sentence with however followed by a comma.