Today's English lesson

From The American Heritage Book of English Usage:


Also Ran


Also shares with only the virtue of modifying the parts of the sentence to which it is closest, but this can sometimes lead to ambiguity. In the following examples, the sentence containing also is exactly the same, but in each example it modifies a different part and creates a different meaning:

I read in the paper that their band was coming to town. I also heard that the band would play here.

Mary heard that their band is coming to town. I also heard that the band would play here.

The band has been playing out on the West Coast for weeks. I also heard that the band would play here.

It’s a good policy to check that the context is sufficiently clear to limit the meaning of also so you won’t be misunderstood. If you’re in doubt, try moving also to another position and see if the meaning is less ambiguous: I heard that the band would also play here.

Some people maintain that it is wrong to begin a sentence with also. They are probably in the minority, since there seems no reason to condemn also and not another conjunctive adverb like nevertheless.