You probably come across as someone using the phrase “and also,” especially if you attend Catholic Church. But is it grammatically correct to use both words in a phrase?
You can say “and also” and have it be grammatical. Usually, the phrase is used at the end of lists rather than in standard clauses. While it is grammatical to use “and also” to begin a sentence, it’s also a bit redundant since “also” already includes the meaning “and,” so using both seems excessive.
Let’s discover the details of what both “and” and “also” mean, how to use them grammatically, and why using “and also” is an awkward phrase.
What is the Meaning of “And”?
Before we can get into the nuances of using the phrase “and also” can be awkward, it’s essential we know the meaning behind both “and” and “also.”
“And” is a conjunction which means that connects multiple clauses and phrases, and it’s a link between two independent clauses to tie them together. But it doesn’t have any inherent meaning in and of itself.
What is the Meaning of “Also”?
“Also” is an adverb. While it also connects two phrases, it does have an inherent meaning of “in addition” or “in the same manner.” It’s a way of contrasting the two phrases instead of just linking them like “and” does.
This means that the two phrases have to be comparable in some way before you can use the phrase also.
When Can You Use “And Also”?
The words “and” and “also” have different meanings and serve slightly different functions, so it is grammatical to use the phrase “and also” in a sentence. However, in most cases, it’s redundant, and you can take out one of the words to truly emphasize what you want your sentence to mean.
If you only want to connect two clauses, you can simplify to only using “and,” whereas if you’re going to have less of a strong link between your sentences, you can use “also.”
Using “And Also” for Emphasis
There is one instance in which you may want to use “and also.” Many people use this phrase to emphasize the second clause of their sentences. Putting the extra word in right before the following clause refocuses their attention and makes them listen more intently to the next utterance.
Using “And Also” with Pro-Drop Clauses
Pro-drop is when you drop the pronoun of a clause because the context of the sentence provides what the subject is. For example:
- Mary says she likes fish, and she also says she likes chicken.
- Mary says she likes fish and also says she likes chicken.
The only difference between 1 and 2 is that in sentence one, the second “she” is dropped and implied by the context of the overall sentence. In this case, “and also” becomes the phrase in the sentence not because someone is trying to emphasize the following clause but because it’s implied that there’s a pronoun in between “and” and “also.”
English doesn’t use pro-drop very often as most of the time, you can’t infer what the subject is. Still, in some cases, to avoid repeating pronouns over again, English will sometimes drop one of them, especially in spoken utterances.
What Can I Say Instead of “Also”?
If you decide that you want to shake up here language a little bit and use a different term instead of “also,” here are some other words you can use.
- additionally
- furthermore
- likewise
- moreover
- as well as
- similarly
- in addition to
- what’s more
- on top of
Using these phrases after the word “and” may give you some perspective on why there is an awkwardness to using the words “and also.”
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