Mastering conjunctions is crucial for crafting clear, coherent, and engaging English sentences. While “but” serves as a reliable tool for expressing contrast, relying on it too heavily can make your writing sound monotonous.
This article explores a wide range of alternatives to “but,” enhancing your ability to convey nuanced relationships between ideas with greater precision and style. Whether you’re an ESL student, a seasoned writer, or simply looking to refine your communication skills, this comprehensive guide will provide you with the knowledge and practice you need to diversify your conjunctive vocabulary and elevate your writing.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Definition of Conjunctions and Their Role
- Structural Breakdown of Contrastive Conjunctions
- Types of Alternatives to ‘But’
- Examples of Alternatives to ‘But’
- Usage Rules for Alternatives to ‘But’
- Common Mistakes When Using Alternatives to ‘But’
- Practice Exercises
- Advanced Topics
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Conclusion
Definition of Conjunctions and Their Role
Conjunctions are words that connect words, phrases, or clauses within a sentence. They act as linguistic bridges, establishing relationships between different elements and contributing to the overall coherence of the text.
Understanding the nuances of different conjunctions is essential for effective communication, as it allows you to express complex ideas with clarity and precision.
Conjunctions can be broadly classified into three main categories: coordinating conjunctions, subordinating conjunctions, and correlative conjunctions. However, when looking for alternatives to “but,” we primarily focus on those that express contrast or opposition.
These fall under coordinating conjunctions, subordinating conjunctions and conjunctive adverbs. Each type has its distinct function and placement within a sentence, influencing the overall structure and meaning.
Structural Breakdown of Contrastive Conjunctions
Contrastive conjunctions signal a difference or opposition between two ideas. The structure of sentences using these conjunctions varies depending on the type of conjunction used.
Let’s examine the typical structures.
Coordinating Conjunctions: These conjunctions (like but, yet, so) connect elements of equal grammatical rank. The general structure is: [Independent Clause] + [Coordinating Conjunction] + [Independent Clause]. A comma usually precedes the coordinating conjunction.
Subordinating Conjunctions: These conjunctions (like although, though, even though, while, whereas) introduce a subordinate clause, which is dependent on the main clause. The structure can be: [Subordinating Conjunction] + [Subordinate Clause] + , + [Independent Clause] or [Independent Clause] + [Subordinating Conjunction] + [Subordinate Clause]. A comma is used only when the subordinate clause comes before the independent clause.
Conjunctive Adverbs: These adverbs (like however, nevertheless, nonetheless, conversely) connect two independent clauses, often with a semicolon. The structure is: [Independent Clause] + ; + [Conjunctive Adverb] + , + [Independent Clause]. They can also appear at the beginning of the second clause, followed by a comma, or within the second clause, set off by commas.
Types of Alternatives to ‘But’
There are several ways to express contrast besides using “but.” These include coordinating conjunctions, subordinating conjunctions, conjunctive adverbs, prepositional phrases, and other phrases.
Coordinating Conjunctions
Coordinating conjunctions connect words, phrases, and independent clauses of equal grammatical rank. While “but” is the most common coordinating conjunction for expressing contrast, “yet” and “so” can sometimes be used to similar effect, albeit with slightly different nuances.
Subordinating Conjunctions
Subordinating conjunctions introduce dependent clauses, which cannot stand alone as sentences. Several subordinating conjunctions effectively convey contrast, including “although,” “though,” “even though,” “while,” and “whereas.” These conjunctions highlight the contrast between the dependent clause and the main clause.
Conjunctive Adverbs
Conjunctive adverbs connect two independent clauses, indicating a relationship between them. Several conjunctive adverbs can replace “but” to express contrast, such as “however,” “nevertheless,” “nonetheless,” “conversely,” “on the other hand,” and “in contrast.” These adverbs provide a more formal and sophisticated way to express opposition.
Prepositional Phrases
Prepositional phrases, consisting of a preposition and its object, can also be used to express contrast. Phrases like “despite,” “in spite of,” and “regardless of” can effectively convey opposition, particularly when followed by a noun or gerund.
Other Phrases and Expressions
Various other phrases and expressions can substitute for “but” to express contrast or concession. These include phrases like “even so,” “all the same,” “be that as it may,” and “notwithstanding.” These expressions offer a more nuanced and idiomatic way to convey opposition.
Examples of Alternatives to ‘But’
To illustrate the various alternatives to “but,” let’s examine examples using each type of conjunction, adverb, and phrase. The following tables provide a range of sentences, showcasing the subtle differences in meaning and usage.
Coordinating Conjunction Examples
The table below provides examples of coordinating conjunctions used as alternatives to ‘but’. It includes ‘yet’ and ‘so’, demonstrating how they can convey contrast or consequence in different ways.
| Original Sentence (using ‘but’) | Alternative Sentence (using ‘yet’/’so’) | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| She was tired, but she continued working. | She was tired, yet she continued working. | “Yet” emphasizes the unexpectedness of her continuing to work despite her tiredness. |
| He studied hard, but he failed the exam. | He studied hard, yet he failed the exam. | “Yet” highlights the surprising outcome of failing despite his hard work. |
| The food was delicious, but it was expensive. | The food was delicious, yet it was expensive. | “Yet” underscores the contrast between the positive quality (deliciousness) and the negative aspect (expense). |
| I wanted to go to the party, but I was too busy. | I wanted to go to the party, yet I was too busy. | “Yet” emphasizes the conflict between desire and circumstance. |
| He tried his best, but he didn’t succeed. | He tried his best, yet he didn’t succeed. | “Yet” highlights the unexpected failure despite his effort. |
| She apologized, but he was still angry. | She apologized, yet he was still angry. | “Yet” underscores the persistence of his anger despite her apology. |
| The sun was shining, but it was cold. | The sun was shining, yet it was cold. | “Yet” emphasizes the contrast between the sunny weather and the cold temperature. |
| He is intelligent, but he lacks common sense. | He is intelligent, yet he lacks common sense. | “Yet” highlights the surprising combination of intelligence and lack of common sense. |
| I like coffee, but I prefer tea. | I like coffee, yet I prefer tea. | “Yet” subtly emphasizes the preference for tea despite liking coffee. |
| The movie was long, but it was enjoyable. | The movie was long, yet it was enjoyable. | “Yet” highlights the surprising enjoyment despite the length of the movie. |
| He was warned, but he ignored the advice. | He was warned, yet he ignored the advice. | “Yet” emphasizes the unexpected action of ignoring the warning. |
| She is rich, but she is unhappy. | She is rich, yet she is unhappy. | “Yet” underscores the contrast between wealth and unhappiness. |
| The plan was risky, but they decided to proceed. | The plan was risky, yet they decided to proceed. | “Yet” highlights the surprising decision to proceed despite the risk. |
| He is a talented musician, but he is very shy. | He is a talented musician, yet he is very shy. | “Yet” emphasizes the contrast between talent and shyness. |
| The car is old, but it still runs well. | The car is old, yet it still runs well. | “Yet” underscores the surprising functionality despite the age of the car. |
| She is fluent in French, but she struggles with Spanish. | She is fluent in French, yet she struggles with Spanish. | “Yet” highlights the contrast between fluency in one language and difficulty with another. |
| He is a doctor, but he is afraid of needles. | He is a doctor, yet he is afraid of needles. | “Yet” emphasizes the surprising fear despite his profession. |
| She practices every day, but she doesn’t seem to improve. | She practices every day, yet she doesn’t seem to improve. | “Yet” highlights the unexpected lack of improvement despite consistent practice. |
| He wanted to sleep, but the noise kept him awake. | He wanted to sleep, yet the noise kept him awake. | “Yet” underscores the conflict between his desire and the external disturbance. |
| They had a lot of money, but they were not happy. | They had a lot of money, yet they were not happy. | “Yet” highlights the contrast between wealth and unhappiness. |
Subordinating Conjunction Examples
The following table illustrates the use of subordinating conjunctions such as ‘although,’ ‘though,’ ‘even though,’ ‘while,’ and ‘whereas’ as alternatives to ‘but’. These conjunctions introduce dependent clauses that contrast with the main clause.
| Original Sentence (using ‘but’) | Alternative Sentence (using subordinating conjunction) | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| He was tired, but he continued working. | Although he was tired, he continued working. | “Although” introduces the reason for stopping, emphasizing the surprising continuation. |
| She studied hard, but she failed the exam. | Even though she studied hard, she failed the exam. | “Even though” strengthens the contrast, highlighting the unexpected failure despite her efforts. |
| The food was delicious, but it was expensive. | Though the food was delicious, it was expensive. | “Though” provides a more concise way to express the contrast between taste and cost. |
| I wanted to go to the party, but I was too busy. | While I wanted to go to the party, I was too busy. | “While” introduces a simultaneous but conflicting desire and circumstance. |
| He likes coffee, but she prefers tea. | Whereas he likes coffee, she prefers tea. | “Whereas” emphasizes the direct opposition between their preferences. |
| He is optimistic, but she is pessimistic. | While he is optimistic, she is pessimistic. | “While” highlights the contrasting attitudes of the two individuals. |
| The city is crowded, but it has a vibrant culture. | Although the city is crowded, it has a vibrant culture. | “Although” acknowledges the drawback of crowding but emphasizes the positive aspect of culture. |
| She is fluent in French, but she struggles with Spanish. | Even though she is fluent in French, she struggles with Spanish. | “Even though” underscores the unexpected difficulty with Spanish despite her fluency in French. |
| He is rich, but he is unhappy. | Though he is rich, he is unhappy. | “Though” succinctly contrasts wealth with unhappiness. |
| They lost the game, but they played well. | Although they lost the game, they played well. | “Although” acknowledges the loss but highlights their good performance. |
| The car is old, but it still runs well. | Even though the car is old, it still runs well. | “Even though” emphasizes the surprising functionality despite the car’s age. |
| She is a talented musician, but she is very shy. | While she is a talented musician, she is very shy. | “While” presents the contrasting qualities of talent and shyness. |
| He was warned, but he ignored the advice. | Although he was warned, he ignored the advice. | “Although” highlights the unexpected action of ignoring the warning. |
| The plan was risky, but they decided to proceed. | Even though the plan was risky, they decided to proceed. | “Even though” underscores the surprising decision to proceed despite the risk. |
| I like coffee, but I prefer tea. | While I like coffee, I prefer tea. | “While” indicates a preference for tea despite liking coffee. |
| The movie was long, but it was enjoyable. | Although the movie was long, it was enjoyable. | “Although” acknowledges the length but emphasizes the enjoyable experience. |
| He is intelligent, but he lacks common sense. | Though he is intelligent, he lacks common sense. | “Though” succinctly contrasts intelligence with a lack of common sense. |
| She apologized, but he was still angry. | Even though she apologized, he was still angry. | “Even though” underscores the persistence of his anger despite her apology. |
| The sun was shining, but it was cold. | Although the sun was shining, it was cold. | “Although” acknowledges the sunshine but emphasizes the cold temperature. |
| He tried his best, but he didn’t succeed. | Even though he tried his best, he didn’t succeed. | “Even though” highlights the unexpected failure despite his best efforts. |
Conjunctive Adverb Examples
The following table demonstrates the use of conjunctive adverbs such as ‘however,’ ‘nevertheless,’ ‘nonetheless,’ ‘conversely,’ ‘on the other hand,’ and ‘in contrast’ as alternatives to ‘but’. These adverbs connect two independent clauses, indicating a contrast between them.
| Original Sentence (using ‘but’) | Alternative Sentence (using conjunctive adverb) | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| He was tired, but he continued working. | He was tired; however, he continued working. | “However” provides a formal way to express the contrast. |
| She studied hard, but she failed the exam. | She studied hard; nevertheless, she failed the exam. | “Nevertheless” emphasizes the unexpected failure despite her efforts. |
| The food was delicious, but it was expensive. | The food was delicious; nonetheless, it was expensive. | “Nonetheless” highlights the negative aspect despite the positive quality. |
| He likes coffee, but she prefers tea. | He likes coffee; conversely, she prefers tea. | “Conversely” indicates a direct opposite preference. |
| The city is crowded, but it has a vibrant culture. | The city is crowded; on the other hand, it has a vibrant culture. | “On the other hand” introduces a contrasting positive aspect. |
| He is optimistic, but she is pessimistic. | He is optimistic; in contrast, she is pessimistic. | “In contrast” directly highlights the opposing attitudes. |
| He was warned, but he ignored the advice. | He was warned; however, he ignored the advice. | “However” emphasizes the unexpected action of ignoring the warning. |
| She is fluent in French, but she struggles with Spanish. | She is fluent in French; nevertheless, she struggles with Spanish. | “Nevertheless” underscores the surprising difficulty despite her fluency in another language. |
| He is rich, but he is unhappy. | He is rich; nonetheless, he is unhappy. | “Nonetheless” highlights the negative aspect despite his wealth. |
| They lost the game, but they played well. | They lost the game; however, they played well. | “However” acknowledges the loss but emphasizes their good performance. |
| The car is old, but it still runs well. | The car is old; nevertheless, it still runs well. | “Nevertheless” emphasizes the surprising functionality despite the car’s age. |
| She is a talented musician, but she is very shy. | She is a talented musician; however, she is very shy. | “However” presents the contrasting qualities of talent and shyness. |
| The plan was risky, but they decided to proceed. | The plan was risky; nonetheless, they decided to proceed. | “Nonetheless” underscores the surprising decision to proceed despite the risk. |
| I like coffee, but I prefer tea. | I like coffee; however, I prefer tea. | “However” indicates a preference for tea despite liking coffee. |
| The movie was long, but it was enjoyable. | The movie was long; however, it was enjoyable. | “However” acknowledges the length but emphasizes the enjoyable experience. |
| He is intelligent, but he lacks common sense. | He is intelligent; however, he lacks common sense. | “However” contrasts intelligence with a lack of common sense. |
| She apologized, but he was still angry. | She apologized; nevertheless, he was still angry. | “Nevertheless” underscores the persistence of his anger despite her apology. |
| The sun was shining, but it was cold. | The sun was shining; however, it was cold. | “However” acknowledges the sunshine but emphasizes the cold temperature. |
| He tried his best, but he didn’t succeed. | He tried his best; nevertheless, he didn’t succeed. | “Nevertheless” highlights the unexpected failure despite his best efforts. |
| She practices every day, but she doesn’t seem to improve. | She practices every day; however, she doesn’t seem to improve. | “However” highlights the unexpected lack of improvement despite consistent practice. |
Prepositional Phrase Examples
The following table shows how prepositional phrases such as ‘despite,’ ‘in spite of,’ and ‘regardless of’ can be used as alternatives to ‘but’. These phrases are followed by a noun or gerund, expressing contrast or concession.
| Original Sentence (using ‘but’) | Alternative Sentence (using prepositional phrase) | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| He was tired, but he continued working. | Despite his tiredness, he continued working. | “Despite” highlights that he continued working even with being tired. |
| She studied hard, but she failed the exam. | In spite of her hard work, she failed the exam. | “In spite of” emphasizes the unexpected failure despite her efforts. |
| The rain was heavy, but they went for a walk. | Despite the heavy rain, they went for a walk. | “Despite” emphasizes the unexpected walk despite the weather. |
| He is old, but he is still active. | Despite his age, he is still active. | “Despite” highlights that he is active even with his old age. |
| The task was difficult, but they completed it. | In spite of the difficult task, they completed it. | “In spite of” emphasizes the unexpected completion despite the difficulty. |
| She was sick, but she went to work. | Despite her sickness, she went to work. | “Despite” highlights that she went to work even with her sickness. |
| He had no experience, but he got the job. | Despite his lack of experience, he got the job. | “Despite” emphasizes the unexpected job offer despite his lack of experience. |
| The road was icy, but they drove safely. | Despite the icy road, they drove safely. | “Despite” emphasizes that they drove safely even with the icy road. |
| She had a headache, but she finished her work. | Despite having a headache, she finished her work. | “Despite” highlights that she finished her work even with a headache. |
| He was nervous, but he gave a great speech. | Despite his nervousness, he gave a great speech. | “Despite” emphasizes that he gave a great speech even with his nervousness. |
| The car was damaged, but they continued the journey. | Despite the damaged car, they continued the journey. | “Despite” emphasizes that they continued the journey even with the damaged car. |
| She was scared, but she faced her fears. | Despite being scared, she faced her fears. | “Despite” highlights that she faced her fears even when scared. |
| He had little money, but he helped others. | Despite having little money, he helped others. | “Despite” emphasizes that he helped others even with having little money. |
| The weather was bad, but they enjoyed the trip. | Despite the bad weather, they enjoyed the trip. | “Despite” highlights that they enjoyed the trip even with the bad weather. |
| She was tired, but she kept smiling. | Despite being tired, she kept smiling. | “Despite” emphasizes that she kept smiling even when tired. |
| He was criticized, but he remained confident. | Despite being criticized, he remained confident. | “Despite” highlights that he remained confident even when criticized. |
| The task was challenging, but she completed it successfully. | Despite the challenging task, she completed it successfully. | “Despite” emphasizes that she completed it successfully even though it was challenging. |
| He had a cold, but he attended the meeting. | Despite having a cold, he attended the meeting. | “Despite” highlights that he attended the meeting even with a cold. |
| She was busy, but she helped her friend. | Despite being busy, she helped her friend. | “Despite” emphasizes that she helped her friend even when busy. |
| He was injured, but he finished the race. | Despite being injured, he finished the race. | “Despite” highlights that he finished the race even while injured. |
Other Phrase Examples
The table below provides examples of other phrases and expressions such as ‘even so,’ ‘all the same,’ ‘be that as it may,’ and ‘notwithstanding’ as alternatives to ‘but’. These phrases offer a more nuanced and idiomatic way to convey opposition or concession.
| Original Sentence (using ‘but’) | Alternative Sentence (using other phrase) | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| He was tired, but he continued working. | He was tired; even so, he continued working. | “Even so” introduces the continuation despite his tiredness. |
| She studied hard, but she failed the exam. | She studied hard; all the same, she failed the exam. | “All the same” emphasizes the failure despite her efforts. |
| The food was delicious, but it was expensive. | The food was delicious; be that as it may, it was expensive. | “Be that as it may” acknowledges the deliciousness but highlights the expense. |
| He is old, but he is still active. | He is old; notwithstanding, he is still active. | “Notwithstanding” emphasizes his activity despite his age. |
| The task was difficult, but they completed it. | The task was difficult; even so, they completed it. | “Even so” introduces the completion despite the difficulty. |
| She was sick, but she went to work. | She was sick; all the same, she went to work. | “All the same” emphasizes that she went to work despite her sickness. |
| He had no experience, but he got the job. | He had no experience; be that as it may, he got the job. | “Be that as it may” acknowledges his lack of experience but highlights that he got the job. |
| She practices every day, but she doesn’t seem to improve. | She practices every day; even so, she doesn’t seem to improve. | “Even so” highlights the lack of improvement despite her practice. |
| The plan was risky, but they decided to proceed. | The plan was risky; all the same, they decided to proceed. | “All the same” emphasizes that they proceeded despite the risk. |
| He is intelligent, but he lacks common sense. | He is intelligent; even so, he lacks common sense. | “Even so” highlights the lack of common sense despite intelligence. |
| She apologized, but he was still angry. | She apologized; all the same, he was still angry. | “All the same” highlights that he was still angry despite the apology. |
| The car is old, but it still runs well. | The car is old; be that as it may, it still runs well. | “Be that as it may” acknowledges the age but highlights that it still runs well. |
| They had a lot of money, but they were not happy. | They had a lot of money; even so, they were not happy. | “Even so” highlights the unhappiness despite having money. |
| He tried his best, but he didn’t succeed. | He tried his best; all the same, he didn’t succeed. | “All the same” emphasizes that he didn’t succeed despite his best efforts. |
| She is fluent in French, but she struggles with Spanish. | She is fluent in French; even so, she struggles with Spanish. | “Even so” highlights the struggle with Spanish despite fluency in French. |
| The weather was bad, but they enjoyed the trip. | The weather was bad; be that as it may, they enjoyed the trip. | “Be that as it may” acknowledges the bad weather but highlights their enjoyment. |
| The movie was long, but it was enjoyable. | The movie was long; even so, it was enjoyable. | “Even so” highlights the enjoyment despite the length. |
| He was warned, but he ignored the advice. | He was warned; all the same, he ignored the advice. | “All the same” emphasizes that he ignored the advice despite the warning. |
| She is rich, but she is unhappy. | She is rich; even so, she is unhappy. | “Even so” highlights the unhappiness despite wealth. |
| He wanted to sleep, but the noise kept him awake. | He wanted to sleep; be that as it may, the noise kept him awake. | “Be that as it may” acknowledges his desire to sleep but highlights that the noise kept him awake. |
Usage Rules for Alternatives to ‘But’
Each alternative to “but” carries its own specific usage rules and nuances. It is important to understand these rules to use them correctly and effectively.
- Coordinating Conjunctions (Yet, So): These connect independent clauses and require a comma before them. “Yet” emphasizes a contrast or unexpectedness, while “so” indicates a consequence.
- Subordinating Conjunctions (Although, Though, Even Though, While, Whereas): These introduce dependent clauses and can appear at the beginning or in the middle of a sentence. If the dependent clause comes first, it is followed by a comma.
- Conjunctive Adverbs (However, Nevertheless, Nonetheless, Conversely, On the Other Hand, In Contrast): These connect independent clauses and are typically preceded by a semicolon and followed by a comma. They can also be placed within the second clause, set off by commas.
- Prepositional Phrases (Despite, In Spite Of, Regardless Of): These are followed by a noun or gerund and can appear at the beginning or in the middle of a sentence.
- Other Phrases (Even So, All the Same, Be That As It May, Notwithstanding): These phrases offer more idiomatic ways to express contrast and often require a semicolon before them when connecting independent clauses.
Common Mistakes When Using Alternatives to ‘But’
Several common mistakes can occur when using alternatives to “but.” Being aware of these errors can help you avoid them and improve the accuracy of your writing.
- Incorrect Punctuation with Conjunctive Adverbs: Forgetting the semicolon before and the comma after conjunctive adverbs is a common mistake. Incorrect: He was tired however he continued working. Correct: He was tired; however, he continued working.
- Misusing Subordinating Conjunctions: Using a subordinating conjunction to connect two independent clauses without proper punctuation is incorrect. Incorrect: He studied hard, although he failed the exam. Correct: Although he studied hard, he failed the exam. OR He studied hard; however, he failed the exam.
- Incorrect Word Choice: Using an alternative that doesn’t accurately convey the intended meaning. For example, using “so” when “yet” is more appropriate. Incorrect: She was tired, so she continued working. Correct: She was tired, yet she continued working.
- Misplacing Prepositional Phrases: Using a prepositional phrase in a way that creates an awkward or unclear sentence. Awkward: Despite, he continued working his tiredness. Correct: Despite his tiredness, he continued working.
Practice Exercises
Test your understanding of alternatives to “but” with the following exercises. Choose the best alternative to replace “but” in each sentence.
Exercise 1: Choose the best alternative to ‘but’.
| Question | Options | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| She was exhausted, but she kept going. | A) However B) Yet C) Although | |
| He trained hard, but he didn’t win. | A) Nevertheless B) So C) Because | |
| The movie was long, but enjoyable. | A) Whereas B) Yet C) Despite | |
| I appreciate your help, but I don’t need it. | A) Even though B) Still C) However | |
| She is talented, but shy. | A) While B) In Contrast C) Yet |
Exercise 2: Rewrite the following sentences using a different alternative to ‘but’.
- He wanted to sleep, but the noise kept him awake.
- She is rich, but she is unhappy.
- They had a lot of money, but they were not happy.
Advanced Topics
For those looking to delve deeper, consider the following advanced topics:
- Subtle Nuances: Explore the subtle differences in meaning between various alternatives to “but” and how these nuances affect the overall tone and impact of your writing.
- Contextual Appropriateness: Analyze how the choice of alternative depends on the specific context, audience, and purpose of your writing.
- Combining Alternatives: Learn how to effectively combine different alternatives to “but” to create more complex and nuanced expressions of contrast.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I use “yet” instead of “but”?
“Yet” is best used when you want to emphasize a contrast or something unexpected. It often carries a stronger sense of surprise than “but.”
Are conjunctive adverbs always preceded by a semicolon?
Typically, yes. However, if the conjunctive adverb is used to interrupt a single clause for emphasis, it can be set off by commas instead.
Can I start a sentence with “although” or “though”?
Yes, you can. When you start a sentence with “although” or “though,” make sure to include a comma after the dependent clause.
Is it okay to use multiple alternatives to “but” in a single paragraph?
Yes, varying your conjunctions can make your writing more engaging and less repetitive. Just be sure that each alternative is used correctly and appropriately for the context.
Conclusion
By mastering a variety of alternatives to “but,” you can significantly enhance the clarity, sophistication, and overall impact of your writing. Understanding the nuances of coordinating conjunctions, subordinating conjunctions, conjunctive adverbs, prepositional phrases, and other expressions will empower you to craft more precise and engaging sentences.
So, embrace the challenge, practice regularly, and elevate your conjunctive toolkit to new heights. Happy writing!