[Grammar] Always a comma after 'however'?

[Unregistered]

I know that this is a silly question but should the word 'however' in a sentence allways be followed by a comma?

 

[TheParser]

I know that this is a silly question but should the word 'however' in a sentence allways be followed by a comma?

***** NOT A TEACHER *****

Good morning.

(1) No question is "silly." You have asked an excellent question.

(2) It all depends on how you use "however."

(3) For example, no comma is needed in:

Wow! However did you learn English so fast?!

(4) But I suspect that you mean after a semicolon. Am I right?

Martha is very intelligent; however, she doesn't like to study hard.

(a) the people who write books tell us that, yes, you definitely "must" use a common after a "however" when it follows a semicolon.

(i) Some books explain that the pause is necessary because "however" in that sentence = "but."

(a) Martha is very intelligent, but she doesn't like to study hard.

(i) Did you notice how you paused after "intelligent"?

Thank you.

 

[emsr2d2]

In addition to the excellent examples above, you also have:

"I'll never be able to speak a foreign language, however hard I try." (I won't be able to do it, no matter how hard I try.)

In that case, you have a comma before however, but not after.