Starting a Sentence With 'However': Right or Wrong?

Today's topic is how to use the word "however" in a sentence. It's probably more complicated than you think it is.

Can you start a sentence with the word 'however'?

The question I get asked most frequently about "however" is whether it is OK to use "however" at the beginning of a sentence, and the answer is yes: it is fine to start a sentence with "however." You just need to know when to use a comma and when to use a semicolon.

'However' without a comma: modifier

The comma is important because "however" is a conjunctive adverb that can be used in two different ways: 

• It can join main clauses. 
• It can modify a clause.

If you use "however" at the beginning of a sentence and don't insert a comma, "however" means “in whatever manner,” “to whatever extent,” or “no matter how.”

For instance, Winston Churchill said, “However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results,” and for those of you who like more modern examples, on the TV show "Supergirl," while talking about a world-wide  earthquake, Querl Dox said, “however you choose to describe this event, one thing is absolutely certain. We have...  [J'onn J'onzz:] A major crisis on our hands.”

In both those cases, "however" isn't playing the role of a conjunction. It's not joining anything to anything else. It means “no matter how.” “However you describe this” and “No matter how you describe this” mean the same thing. I don't think anyone has ever disputed starting a sentence with "however" when it is used that way.  

'However' with a comma: connector

On the other hand, Strunk and White did say in their book, The Elements of Style, that you shouldn't start a sentence with "however" when you mean “nevertheless” or “but.”

They’re referring to sentences such as this one from "Nicholas Nickleby" by Charles Dickens: “It is a great deal easier to go down hill than up. However, they kept on, with...

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