conjunctions and independent/dependent clauses

by **Guest** Wed Sep 10, 2008 3:41 pm

Hello,

I'm getting confused when can I use conjunctions to separate two independent clauses or independent and dependent clauses. For example, are following sentences correct:

Some gourmets like the new French cooking, however, others find it dull

Some gourmets like the new French cooking, but others find it dull.

Some gourmets like the new French cooking, but, others find it dull.

However others find it dull, some gourmets like the new French cooking.

Which of the above are forming independent and dependent clauses ? I think all first 3 clauses after comma such as 'however, others', 'but, others' or 'but others' are dependent clauses and even in the last sentence, 'However others ...,' is a dependent clause and all of them are rightly separated by a COMMA (,). Am I wrong to assume that ?

Thanks
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by **Guest** Thu Sep 11, 2008 12:00 am

Could you Ron or Stacey, please clarify my doubts? Thanks

by **JonathanSchneider** Wed Oct 15, 2008 9:17 pm

The only correct form of the one you listed is #2. Here's the simplest way I can think to put it:
A semicolon can separate two independent clauses. In these cases, you do not need a conjunction.
Instead of a semicolon, you can use a comma and the word "but" or another conjunction. You do not put another comma on the other side of the conjunction - you just proceed with the sentence.
The word "however" is not a conjunction. You cannot say: "bla bla blah, however bla bla bla." You would need a semicolon instead of the comma there.
You can start a sentence with the word "however," followed by a comma, but you will never see this on the SC portion of the GMAT because this can only be done when referencing something that came before that sentence.