The word "however" is commonly used as a conjunctive adverb in sentences to show contrast or contradiction between two ideas. It can be placed in various positions in a sentence: at the beginning with a comma following it to link to the previous sentence, after a semicolon between two independent clauses with a comma after it, in the middle of a sentence surrounded by commas as an aside, or at the end of a sentence preceded by a comma. Additionally, "however" can mean "no matter how" and is used differently in this sense without commas. Proper punctuation is key to using "however" correctly in sentences.

Usage of However in Sentences

• At the beginning of a sentence to contrast the previous statement: "I wanted to go. However, I was tired."
• Between two independent clauses with a semicolon: "I wanted to go; however, I was tired."
• In the middle of a sentence as an aside, with commas around it: "I wanted to go; my friend, however, stayed home."
• At the end of a sentence, preceded by a comma: "I wanted to go; my friend stayed home, however."

Other Uses

• Expressing "no matter how" without commas: "However tired I was, I kept running."
• When used this way, commas should be avoided to prevent confusion.

Punctuation Notes

• Use a comma immediately after "however" when it is used as a conjunctive adverb.
• Use a semicolon before "however" when joining two independent clauses.
• When "however" appears in the middle of a clause as an aside, use commas before and after it.

This comprehensive overview covers the typical sentence structures and punctuation rules for using "however" correctly.