Using the word otherwise in a sentence


Asked by: Mr. Angel Reichert I

Score: 4.3/5
(15 votes)

Examples of otherwise in a Sentence

Adverb All of the books had been burned or otherwise destroyed. The women talked in the living room while the men were otherwise occupied. Art allows us to express things that we would not be able to express otherwise. … I didn’t like the ending, but otherwise it was a very good book.

How do you use otherwise in a sentence?

(sentence adverb) You use otherwise to connect two clauses where the second clause shows what would have happened if the first clause hadn’t happened. I missed the bus. Otherwise, I would have been here earlier. If you think or say otherwise, you don’t agree.

Who is to say otherwise?

«Who am I to say otherwise» means who do I think I am to say something differently than what is said/accepted. Here the grammar makes a big difference in the meaning.

Who used in a sentence?

Who is used to provide more information about a person or people mentioned previously in a sentence. It is also a subjective pronoun. A subjective pronoun is a pronoun (I, me, he, she, etc.) that is used as the subject of the sentence.

How do you use who in a sentence examples?

Who sentence example

  • The boy who sat beside him was his son. …
  • Who had handed it to her? …
  • Are you going to tell me who he is? …
  • » Who has done this?» …
  • I guess because the only one who should be looking at it is my husband. …
  • After all, who knows? …
  • Who was paying for this? …
  • His attention shifted to Destiny, who was still sleeping.

22 related questions found

How do you use who?

When in doubt, try this simple trick: If you can replace the word with “he”’ or “’she,” use who. If you can replace it with “him” or “her,” use whom. Who should be used to refer to the subject of a sentence. Whom should be used to refer to the object of a verb or preposition.

Who thinks otherwise meaning?

From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English say/think/decide etc otherwiseto say, think, or decide something different The government claims that the economy is improving, but this survey suggests otherwise. A lot of people think otherwise.

What does otherwise person mean?

6. 1. Otherwise is defined as in other circumstances, other ways or other respects, or can mean «or else.» If a person is normally nice but is rude only on one particular occasion, this is an example of when you might say he is otherwise very nice except for that occasion.

What does otherwise known as mean?

used to indicate a different name that people know or that a person uses France’s King Louis XIV, otherwise known as the Sun King.

Can otherwise begin a sentence?

Generally, avoid starting a sentence with “otherwise.” That naturally means you have to start first with something about the situation, and then follow through with ‘otherwise’ to show any of those 4 senses.

Can sentences begin otherwise?

‘Otherwise’ is sometimes used to imply truth or the reasons why something is not true. It can be a conjunctive adverb or start a second sentence, similarly to how it is used when describing consequences.

How do you end a sentence with otherwise?

In the above examples, otherwise could also be used at the end of the sentence, e.g. ‘He wouldn’t have passed his test otherwise’. When used to mean in a different or opposite way from what has been mentioned, otherwise is used in final position: ‘I intend to remain here until someone tells me otherwise’.

Why do people use aka?

(eɪ keɪ eɪ ) also a.k.a. aka is an abbreviation for ‘also known as’. aka is used especially when referring to someone’s nickname or stage name.

Do you think otherwise meaning?

Is it natural to say «Do you think otherwise?», which means the same as «Don’t you think so», «Don’t you agree with what I’ve said»? The actual meaning is «do you think differently?«

What is aka stands for?

abbreviation. also known as: According to police records he is Joe Smith a.k.a. “Baby Face Smith” and Joseph Smathers.

Can’t convince me otherwise meaning?

It basically means that you won’t believe the contrary (opposite) belief no matter how much someone tries to convince you of something else. For example: «Global warming is a big issue. Don’t try to tell me otherwise.» «I am right and you can’t tell me otherwise.»

How could it be otherwise meaning?

formal used to say that it is impossible for something to be different from the way it is Life in the military is hard – how can it be otherwise? → otherwise.

What does dont think otherwise mean?

@tjstkdn These are pretty much the same, but I would usually say «I don’t think so, I don’t think that, or, I think otherwise.» Basically meaning you don’t agree with what the person says.

What does I didn’t say otherwise mean?

Didn’t say anything different. See a translation.

Do not otherwise meaning?

The person is saying that because there was difficulty before that there is ease now to life the aftereffects of the difficulty. ‘Not otherwise» here would mean that they would not accept another reason to ease things, ‘not otherwise’.

Who vs whom vs that?

“Who” is a pronoun used as a subject to refer to people. “That” is a pronoun used for things or groups. When used as an object, “who” becomes “whom.”

How do you use who vs whom?

General rule for who vs whom:

  1. Who should be used to refer to the subject of a sentence.
  2. Whom should be used to refer to the object of a verb or preposition.

Whose Who’s Who?

Whose is the possessive form of the pronoun who, while who’s is a contraction of the words who is or who has.

What does F k a stand for?

FKA is an acronym that means formerly known as.

What is AFK?

AFK means «away from keyboard» in typing shorthand. Its meaning can be literal or it can simply indicate that you aren’t online. AFK is a helpful phrase for communal online spaces, when you want a quick way to communicate that you’re stepping away.

There are no rules in English that teach us that certain words cannot start sentences. There are plenty of myths surrounding these questions, but none of them hold when challenged. This article will look into starting a sentence with otherwise and how you can make the most of it.

You can start a sentence with “otherwise” when it is used to show a different situation from the previous sentence. However, it is not common practice, and it’s not formal either, so you’re better off not doing so. “Otherwise” works best to start a subordinate clause.

Can You Start A Sentence With "Otherwise"?

You might be wondering what instances there are that allow us to use “otherwise” at the start of a sentence. Generally, these cases come around based on your style of writing. For example:

  • He had to do something quickly to help the situation. Otherwise, who knows how things might have gone.

As you can see, the above sentence needs to be split into two. “Otherwise” has to start the second sentence because the overall sentence would be too wordy and difficult to read for many people.

There is nothing grammatically incorrect with the above example, but it’s not a common thing that many formal writers will use.

What Does “Otherwise” Mean At The Beginning Of A Sentence?

So, how can we use “otherwise” at the beginning of a sentence? It all comes back to what it means and how it refers to the previous sentence.

“Otherwise” means “or else” or “failing that” at the beginning of a sentence. We always use it to link back to the previous statement, and we’re showing what might happen if the previous sentence is not fulfilled or completed.

Typically, “otherwise” introduces a negative clause. It gives us some kind of negative effect that would be challenging for somebody to overcome.

Examples Of How To Use “Otherwise” At The Beginning Of A Sentence

It might help you to see a few more examples of how “otherwise” works to start a sentence. Once you’ve seen some of these, you should be able to use it correctly yourself.

  1. He shouldn’t have said anything to them about it. Otherwise, no one would have a clue what was going on.
  2. You will need to buy all of these items yourself. Otherwise, you’re not going to have much fun while we’re on vacation.
  3. You have to do these things before the end of the day. Otherwise, you’ll end up grounded by your parents.
  4. I have to complete my homework before tomorrow! Otherwise, Mrs. Smith is going to kill me!
  5. I thought you might quite like to go to the cinema with me. Otherwise, I suppose we could just go to a restaurant.
  6. We will need to find the tickets before we board the train. Otherwise, they’re not going to let us on!
  7. She has to be there. Otherwise, who will be in the audience to support me with this?

“Otherwise” can start a sentence when used as a conjunctive or transitional word. That means we need a sentence to come before “otherwise” to allow us to link back correctly to the meaning from before.

Where Should I Place The Comma When Using “Otherwise” At The Beginning Of A Sentence?

The punctuation rules that come with “otherwise” aren’t too dissimilar to what you might expect. Still, it would be helpful to know how to punctuate the word before writing it yourself.

You should place a comma after “otherwise” whenever it starts a sentence. It’s a conjunctive phrase, and we need the comma after it to show that it’s additional to the sentence, but it isn’t directly necessary to change the meaning.

Here’s how the comma rules work with “otherwise:”

  • Correct: I need you to be there with me. Otherwise, I don’t know what I’m going to do.
  • Incorrect: I need help with this essay. Otherwise my teacher is going to give me the worst mark!

You might also like: “Otherwise” – Comma Rules Explained (Helpful Examples)

Is It Informal To Start A Sentence With “Otherwise”?

We’ve mentioned a few times in this article that starting a sentence with “otherwise” isn’t strictly formal. We typically use it informally (it’s mostly used at the start of a spoken sentence).

“Otherwise” is informal because we typically use it to start a subordinate clause with formal writing. We want to place two contradicting clauses together when using “otherwise” in most formal cases.

Of course, most of that depends on your tone and style. Some formal writers are happy to place “Otherwise” at the start of a sentence. However, the general consensus is that it should be avoided.

Alternatives To Starting A Sentence With “Otherwise”

It might help you to understand some synonyms for the word. That way, you might have better luck with something that’s considered slightly more appropriate with formal writing.

  • Or else
  • Or
  • If not
  • Failing that
  • Without that
  • Apart from that
  • In other ways

Can You End A Sentence With “Otherwise”?

“Otherwise” isn’t only for the beginning of a sentence. We can also find it in other places.

You can end a sentence with “Otherwise” when using it as an adjective or an adverb. These are both common formats for “otherwise,” and we can use them to describe something as “different” or “alternative” from an expected scenario.

Here’s how it might look:

  • He booked the tickets to suit the times of the people who would not come otherwise.
  • I wish that things were otherwise.
  • We needn’t talk about it otherwise.

Can You Use “Otherwise” In The Middle Of A Sentence?

You could even get “otherwise” in the middle of a sentence.

“Otherwise” can work in the middle of a sentence when it’s an adverb or when it connects two clauses. It’s most common in the middle of a sentence, especially with formal writing.

Here’s how you might be able to use “otherwise” in the middle of a sentence:

  • Hurry up, please, otherwise we’re not going to make it.
  • The otherwise completely helpless woman managed to save herself from harm.
  • We need to go, otherwise someone is going to tell us off!

martin lassen dam grammarhow

Martin holds a Master’s degree in Finance and International Business. He has six years of experience in professional communication with clients, executives, and colleagues. Furthermore, he has teaching experience from Aarhus University. Martin has been featured as an expert in communication and teaching on Forbes and Shopify. Read more about Martin here.

1. This theory makes sense of an otherwise inexplicable phenomenon.

2. Walk slowly on the ice,otherwise you’ll fall.

3. Stand still there, otherwise I’ll shoot.

4. Her heels gave her the height she otherwise lacked.

5. Protestors were executed, jailed or otherwise persecuted.

6. Olivier’s performance redeemed an otherwise second-rate play.

7. He says it’s genuine, but we think otherwise.

8. These weaknesses negated his otherwise progressive attitude towards the staff.

9. The radio had been stolen, but otherwise we got the car back in one piece.

10. Sometimes u need to look back, otherwise u will never know what u have lost in the way of forever searching.

11. You obviously think otherwise.

12. I can’t come to dinner on Tuesday-I’m otherwise engaged .

13. Shut the window,(sentencedict.com) otherwise it’ll get too cold in here.

14. If those who have broken up can still be friends,they’ve never been in love,otherwise they are still in love.

15. Don’t be mean with fabric, otherwise curtains will end up looking skimpy.

16. Sometimes you need to look back, otherwise you will never know what you have lost in the way of forever searching.

17. Turn off the gas when the milk boils. Otherwise it will be spilt.

18. My parents lent me the money. Otherwise, I couldn’t have afforded the trip.

19. The pictures showed cracks and other irregularities in otherwise perfectly regular crystals.

20. I hope the coming love would last for a lifetime,otherwise just don’t come.

21. Of course I was wrong; it would be hypocritical to pretend otherwise.

22. The accident was my fault-it would be foolish to pretend otherwise.

23. We were going to play football, but it was so hot that we decided to do otherwise.

24. He has occasional injections to maintain his good health but otherwise he lives a normal life.

25. The wise never marry, And when they marry they become otherwise.

26. We’re committed to the project. We wouldn’t be here otherwise.

27. Franklin told Howe to hurry up and take his bath; otherwise, they’d miss their train.

28. fend for yourself to look after yourself without help from anyone else: His parents agreed to pay the rent for his apartment but otherwise left him to fend for himself.

29. Life is not the game of life, or it will be without a single success; can’t live without game, otherwise monotonous boring.

30. Better not to ignore the past but learn from it instead. Otherwise, history has a way of repeating itself.

Examples of how to use the word “otherwise” in a sentence. How to connect “otherwise” with other words to make correct English sentences.

otherwise (adv): differently, or in another way

Use “otherwise” in a sentence

Hurry up, otherwise you’ll be late for school
Leave now, otherwise you will miss the bus.
Put on your coat, otherwise you’ll catch the cold.

Back to “3000 Most Common Words in English”

0 Shares

Definition of Otherwise

differently, in another way

Examples of Otherwise in a sentence

“Please put the cake away otherwise I may eat it all.”

 🔊

Most Searched Words (with Video)

Voracious: In a Sentence

Voracious: In a Sentence

Verbose: In a Sentence

Verbose: In a Sentence

Vainglorious: In a Sentence

Vainglorious: In a Sentence

Pseudonym: In a Sentence

Pseudonym: In a Sentence

Propinquity: In a Sentence

Propinquity: In a Sentence

Orotund: In a Sentence

Orotund: In a Sentence

Magnanimous: In a Sentence

Magnanimous: In a Sentence

Inquisitive: In a Sentence

Inquisitive: In a Sentence

Epoch: In a Sentence

Epoch: In a Sentence

Aberrant: In a Sentence

Aberrant: In a Sentence

Apprehensive: In a Sentence

Apprehensive: In a Sentence

Obdurate: In a Sentence

Obdurate: In a Sentence

Heresy: In a Sentence

Heresy: In a Sentence

Gambit: In a Sentence

Gambit: In a Sentence

Pneumonia: In a Sentence

Pneumonia: In a Sentence

Otiose: In a Sentence

Otiose: In a Sentence

More Loading...

Понравилась статья? Поделить с друзьями:
  • Using the word like too much
  • Using the word one instead of you
  • Using the word like in writing
  • Using the word like in poetry
  • Using the word like in every sentence