Limit the use of transitional adverbs

A mistake that is often observed is the tendency to use phrases for no reason. Many students seem to believe that they have to begin every sentence with a transitional adverb. But this is not true. Transitional adverbs are good cohesive agents, but use them only when it is necessary.

Read the sentence given below. It is written by a student.

At some reasons, being punctual is crucial if it is a formal congregation, however it has an insignificant role when it comes to casual meetings.

Here the phrase ‘at some reasons’ hardly makes any sense at all. For one thing, it is not correct. You can say, ‘for some reason’, but you can’t say: at some reasons.

The sentence would sound much better without the incorrect phrase.

Being punctual is crucial if it is a formal meeting; however, punctuality has an insignificant role when it comes to casual meetings.

Note the use of the semicolon and the comma before and after the word however. However is a transitional adverb. We usually use a semicolon to separate it from the sentence that goes before it and a comma to separate it from the clause that goes after it.

She is very beautiful; however, I don’t quite like her.

OR

She is very beautiful. However, I don’t quite like her. (NOT She is very beautiful, however, I don’t like her.)