Sentence analysis--adverbials affecting correctness

Question

I should be free Wednesday night after 8pm.If we add in the words 'however' and 'perhaps,' do you still see it as correct? If not, why?I should be free Wednesday night, perhaps after 8pm, however.

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

I should be free Wednesday night after 8pm.

If we add in the words 'however' and 'perhaps,' do you still see it as correct? If not, why?

I should be free Wednesday night, perhaps after 8pm, however.

Yes, it would be OK in a suitable context. Would you like to try to suggest one?

Clive

English 1b3 · Answer

Would you like me to provide additional context or describe a context that suits it?

Clive · Answer

Hi,

Can you suggest what may have been said before this, since 'however' clearly relates to some earlier part of the conversation?

Clive

English 1b3 · Answer

Hi,

Can you meet me on Wednesday in the early evening?

Thus 'however' stresses that 8pm may be too late.

Clive · Answer

Hi,

Can you meet me on Wednesday in the early evening?

I should be free Wednesday night, perhaps after 8pm, however.

Thus 'however' stresses that 8pm may be too late. Yes, this sounds OK.

Clive

English 1b3 · Answer

Hi Clive,

We're getting somewhere

Looking at the sentence purely from a grammar perspective, no alarm bells are ringing inside my head, suggesting it's a-Okay.

But then we I read the sentence aloud, I notice I have a lengthy pause before I say perhaps, and that pause in combination with the pause before 'however' leads me to think the words following 'night' are a truncated clause.

Yes, I'm reading into it too much. No, you don't have to waste your time answering (as there are more important questions requiring your expertise). But if you do find it interesting, I'd be interested to know what you think about the effect 'perhaps' and 'however' has on the way the sentence should be analysed and thereby punctuated.

I should be free Wednesday night, after 8pm.

I should be free Wednesday night, perhaps after 8pm.

I should be free Wednesday night, perhaps after 8pm, however.

What is it about the (combination of) 'perhaps' and 'however' here...

Clive · Answer

Hi,

If you have a lengthy pause before saying 'perhaps', then in writing consider using a period.

ie I should be free Wednesday night. Perhaps after 8pm, however.

That's how I'd probably punctuate it.

Such fragmentary speech is very typical of casual, spoken English.

Clive

Sentence analysis--adverbials affecting correctness

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