Are the following phrases correct? The party was paid for by our students and not the college, thus making criticism irrelevant. The party was paid for by our students and not the college; thus, it makes criticism irrelevant. (NB) The party was paid for by our students and not the college. Thus, it makes criticism irrelevant. Note: the first punctuation sign is a semicolon and not a comma.
Does this rule comma + thus + verb (with -ing) apply to the other long linkers such as consequently, therefore, however, nevertheless, hence, henceforth, in fact? The party was paid for by our students and not the college, consequently/therefore/hence making criticism irrelevant.
Does this rule comma + thus + verb (with -ing) apply to the other conjunctive adverbs such as consequently, therefore, however, nevertheless, hence, henceforth, in fact? The party was paid for by our students and not the college, consequently/therefore/hence making criticism irrelevant. Or, is this the rule ? When linking independent sentences you use semicolon+comma and when linking independent sentences and one of those sentences doesn't have a subject you just use a comma before.
This rule doesn't work for all conjunctive adverbs ("however" is one such example). You use a semicolon for two closely related independent sentences (a period separating the two sentences works as well). You use a comma when the first sentence is an independent sentence and the second part is a phrase with an -ing verb. That's sort of the rule to go by. You are probably better off consulting a grammar book or looking online. I don't think I'm doing a good job of explaining this.
I did understand what you said but I think I also found an example in which you use only a comma but the next verb doesn't have (-ing), but it might just be incorrect. If only I can recall that phrase.
Think the note relates to the second line (NB at the end). In this line the first punctuation is a semi-colon.
