MGMAT-SC, Chapter-10, Problem set- Q12 [But and However]

[rohitowe99]

I am a little confused about the use of but and however. I have 2 queries regarding this:
1)
Using However: (SC-MGMAT, Chapter 10, Problem set-12)
Jim is trying to reduce the AMOUNT of soda that he drinks; at last night’s party, HOWEVER, his resolve to drink LESS soda was sorely tested, AND he found himself quaffing A NUMBER of sodas.

Can we use But?
Jim is trying to reduce the AMOUNT of soda that he drinks; BUT at last night’s party, his resolve to drink LESS soda was sorely tested, AND he found himself quaffing A NUMBER of sodas.

2)
I will get there however I can.
Is this use of however correct.

[RonPurewal]

I am a little confused about the use of but and however. I have 2 queries regarding this:
1)
Using However: (SC-MGMAT, Chapter 10, Problem set-12)
Jim is trying to reduce the AMOUNT of soda that he drinks; at last night’s party, HOWEVER, his resolve to drink LESS soda was sorely tested, AND he found himself quaffing A NUMBER of sodas.

Can we use But?
Jim is trying to reduce the AMOUNT of soda that he drinks; BUT at last night’s party, his resolve to drink LESS soda was sorely tested, AND he found himself quaffing A NUMBER of sodas.

no.

"however" is an adverb, so it has no effect on the grammar of the sentence in which it appears.
in that first sentence, both parts --
* Jim is trying to reduce the amount of soda that he drinks
* at last night’s party, his resolve to drink less soda was sorely tested, and he found himself quaffing a number of sodas
-- are complete sentences, connected by a semicolon. so, that sentence is grammatically sound, and remains so when "however" is added.
the effect of "however" is to turn the sentence from nonsense into sense, but it has no effect on the grammar.

* "but", on the other hand, is not an adverb; it's a connector/conjunction/whatever, so it fundamentally changes the grammar when it is inserted; it can't just be randomly thrown into a sentence.
so, your second sentence is a fragment: the part after the semicolon isn't a sentence anymore.

nb: if you replace the semicolon with another comma (in your sentence with "but"), it becomes a legitimate sentence again.

2)
I will get there however I can.
Is this use of however correct.

yes, but this is a completely different kind of "however"; you would be best served by thinking of it as a different word altogether.
Like "bear" (the animal) vs. "bear" (I can't bear this relationship anymore).

[rohitowe99]

Thanks for the help Joe.

[RonPurewal]

Thanks for the help Joe.

i'm not joe. nonetheless, you're welcome.

[rohitowe99]

Thanks for the help Joe.

i'm not joe. nonetheless, you're welcome.

:) sorry.

[jlucero]

No problem.

-actual joe