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Gillis
Is it correct?
I ate the whole bowl therefore I'm sick.
Thank you
Aug 22, 2024 7:38 PM
Answers · 13
3
It is not permissible to join two complete sentences with no conjunction to join them together. "Therefore" is not a conjunction so the sentence is not grammatical.
August 22, 2024
2
I ate the whole bowl/bowlful..... therefore.....
Therefore (adverb) can be used AS a conjunction (sort of! People argue about this), but the rules are tricky.
Semi-Colon and Conjunction Rules
If we try to use “therefore” as a conjunction, it means we’re trying to connect two separate sentences or clauses (ok, ok, there IS a relationship. Eat too much > vomit!)
Check to make sure they ARE related.
“It was a difficult exam. I don’t think I passed.” (tricky exam > worry about failure. Yep! related!))
Try removing the full stop and put “therefore” in between both phrases.
“It was a difficult exam therefore I don’t think I passed.” (punctuation needed, but where?)
Put commas on either side of “therefore” to use it as an interrupt.
“It was a difficult exam, therefore, I don’t think I passed.” (intermediate step to check grammar - we are not leaving it like this! It's incorrect)
Remove the interrupting “therefore” to check whether the sentence makes sense on its own.
“It was a difficult exam I don’t think I passed.” No, it's a rubbish sentence. It NEEDS punctuation! How about making it 2 separate sentences? Or.......
....... what about a semi-colon? a semi-colon before “therefore” and change it to a 'conjunction'. People argue about whether it's a 'conjunction' here, or still an 'adverb'. Frankly it gives me a headache so I don't worry about it.
“It was a difficult exam; therefore, I don’t think I passed.”
So, in summary, I think I would try>>
I ate the whole bowlful; therefore I'm sick. (semi-colon)
I ate the whole bowlful and therefore I'm sick. (conjunction AND / plus adverb therefore)
I ate the whole bowlful and, therefore, I'm sick. (interrupter for emphasis. Would work ok as a sentence even if you removed the 'therefore' - but you'd lose the causality/emphasis)
I ate the whole bowlful. Therefore I'm sick. (2 sentences)
I ate the whole bowlful. Therefore, I'm sick. (comma pause, to allow for emphasis?)
Ooh! What a headache!
August 23, 2024
1
Collins English dictionary>
THEREFORE >
1. adverb
2. sentence connector
thus; hence: used to mark an inference on the speaker's part
"Those people have their umbrellas up: therefore, it must be raining." (notice the colon not the usual (?) semi-colon)
This is just an addition to my previous long-winded, over-wordy, rambling answer.
Some authorities define 'therefore' as an adverb AND as a conjunction. Others try using the nicely vague 'sentence connector' definition.
Possibly this is because so many use it as a 'conjunction' anyway. ?????
"I think, therefore I am!" "I ate the whole bowlful, therefore I'm sick." (the Collins dictionary seems to indicate they would prefer more than just a comma here, but just a comma seems to be rather common usage now. And I admit I like the short, pithy style >
I think, therefore I am!")
August 23, 2024
1
You could say- "I ate the whole bowl and now I'm sick." Or you could say "Because I ate the whole bowl I'm now sick". The sentence as you wrote it is correct, but not a natural way of speaking for natives.
August 23, 2024
1
It's grammatically acceptable, yes. It sounds awkward, but it's not technically incorrect. I would personally be more likely to say: "I ate the whole bowlful and now I'm sick."
August 22, 2024
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Gillis
Language Skills
English, Portuguese
Learning Language
English
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