Joining clauses with conjunctive adverbs?

Question

To expand on an earlier question, I would like to ask the following: In all credible sites I have visited, they all have the followng formula when joining independent clauses with a conjunctive adverb: Independent clause;conjunctive adverb, Independent clause. However, I was wondering if you can have a dependent clause after the conjunctive adverb preceeding the independent clause. No sites i have visited show this as a possible formula (style of writing). I am aware that it may be clearer to just seperate it in to two sentences: Independent Clause. Dependent Clause, Independent Clause, but sometimes the period prevents flow and clarity when linking ideas. So basically, can you have the following formula: Independent Clause; conjunctive adverb, Dependent Clause, Independent Clause. All sites say that a conjunctive adverb when used with a semi colon can seperate independent clauses, but technically the semi colon and conjunctive adverb are seperating an independent clause from a dependent clause first then an independent clause. Any help?

Answer 1

Yes, you can do that.  The only important thing is that you have an independent clause on each side of the semicolon.  Whether the independent clause also contains dependent clauses matters not.

Here is a very simple sentence just to illustrate:

He ate because he was hungry; however, after he ate, he was still hungry.

  

First main clause:  he ate  First dependent clause:  because he was hungry  Conjunctive adverb:  however  Second dependent clause:  after he ate  Second independent clause:  he was still hungry.