Robert Bannister
Guest
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| Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2005 8:07 am
Post subject: Re: Punctuating "But" vs "However |
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Jim Lang wrote:
| Quote: | When a sentence, like the following, begins with "However" followed by
a dependent clause, I know the two must be separated by a comma:
"However, given the appearance of the knife found at the site, the
charges did not seem justified."
My question is, when the "However" is replaced by "But," is the comma
still technically necessary, or does it suddenly become optional for
some reason:
(A) But given the appearance of the knife found at the site, the
charges did not seem justified."
(B) But, given the appearance of the knife found at the site, the
charges did not seem justified."
In my mind, (B) looks kind of strange, even though "however" and "but"
are equivalent in this case. Yet, I have seen sentences like this
written both ways.
Thanks very much in advance for the clarification
"But" is a conjunction. "However" is an adverb. The former usually has a |
comma before it; the latter is normally placed in parenthesis, and so
will often be found with a comma before and after.
--
Rob Bannister
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