When most of us were in school, our English teachers made a point of forbidding us to begin a sentence with “and” or “but.” It’s one of those lessons that stuck, and writers today go to extreme lengths to avoid it. Is it really forbidden, though? Or is it just a myth?
Grammar experts universally agree that it’s a myth. According to The New Fowler’s Modern English Usage, writers have been doing it pretty much since the beginning of writing. One theory for the perplexing prohibition is that teachers were trying to encourage their young students to form complex sentences. By not allowing the use of either conjunction at the beginning of a sentence, students were forced to think about their writing and not simply string together a series of simple clauses.
Unfortunately, teachers never assigned an endpoint to the ban, and since old habits die hard, we still adhere to it today. Thus, if it works for you, there’s no reason to avoid it. Still, there are a couple of things to keep in mind as you’re considering using “and” or “but” at the start of a sentence.
1. Scrutinize the sentence to see if it would work without the conjunction or if it might work better directly linked to the previous sentence:
Acceptable: Lucy is taking the early flight. But I’m taking the red-eye.
Better: Lucy is taking the early flight. I’m taking the red-eye.
Better: Lucy is taking the early flight, but I’m taking the red-eye.
Better: Lucy is taking the early flight because she prefers to fly nonstop. But I’m taking the red-eye because it’s cheaper.
2. Do not use a comma after an initial “and” or “but” unless it is the first of a pair of commas that set off a parenthetical phrase.
Incorrect: But, I’m taking the red-eye.
Correct: But, because of my precarious financial condition, I’m taking the red-eye.
It’s difficult to break old habits, but this one is worth considering. Just don’t tell your teacher.
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Can you start a sentence with but? English teachers love to tell us it’s against the rules. But there is nothing wrong with starting a sentence with but.
As you grow as a writer, you learn that many of the rules you were taught in school aren’t really rules at all. Can you start a sentence with but? Your third-grade teacher probably told you this was absolutely verboten. However, this is an example of a common rule that is misleading. There is nothing wrong with starting a sentence with but or any other coordinating conjunction. In fact, authorities as lofty as The Elements of Style, The Chicago Style Manual, and William Shakespeare all begin sentences with the word “but.” In the case of the former two examples for analyzing a sentence, they also overtly say that it is permissible.
Contents
- Why It Is OK to Start a Sentence with But?
- What Are Coordinating Conjunctions?
- What Are Independent Clauses?
- How Do You Avoid Sentence Fragments?
- Can But Go at the Beginning of a Sentence in Good Writing?
- Is It OK in Business Writing?
- Where Did the Rule Against Starting a Sentence with But Come From?
- The Final Word on Can You Start a Sentence with But
- FAQ About Starting a Sentence with But
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Why It Is OK to Start a Sentence with But?
“But” is conjunction. According to sources including Merriam-Webster, conjunction is used to join words, phrases, clauses, and sentences. Because of this, it is perfectly proper to use “but” to begin a sentence that continues an idea expressed in the previous one.
What Are Coordinating Conjunctions?
We use coordinating conjunctions to connect words and phrases together. The seven coordinating conjunctions in the English language are:
- And
- But
- For
- Nor
- Or
- So
- Yet
It is perfectly allowable to start a sentence with any of these, as long as you are connecting two independent clauses.
What Are Independent Clauses?
An independent clause is one that forms a complete sentence on its own. Examples of independent clauses that are joined by coordinating conjunctions include:
- I got to the station early. But I still missed my train.
- She won’t eat at Italian restaurants. Nor will she try sushi.
- We could go to Paris. Or we could take a flight to Madrid.
How Do You Avoid Sentence Fragments?
As long as the sentence you started with “but” includes both a noun and a verb, the chances that you’ve created a fragment are very low. A sentence fragment lacks one or the other (usually the verb). As long as the first phrase ends in a full stop and the second phrase uses “but” in a logical way, you can’t go wrong.
Examples include:
- I got the promotion. But I still won’t make as much as I need.
- He arrived with seven bags of groceries. But he still forgot the bread.
There are few logical statements in sentences of those forms that would take the form of fragments. If you were to write “He arrived with seven bags of groceries. But the bread.” the reader would be excused for wondering “but the bread what?”
Can But Go at the Beginning of a Sentence in Good Writing?
Yes, absolutely. Good writing, in fact, is made up of sentences that vary in length and word use. Bad writing often suffers from an excess of uniformity rather than a sprinkling of grammar that, although correct, would not be accepted in a beginning language class.
Is It OK in Business Writing?
It’s accepted that business writing is more formal than some other forms. Because of this, there is a reluctance to use grammar that might be seen as overly casual.
However, in actual practice, the choice comes down to the setting and the tone. If other people in your company seem to hew to more stiff and formal language, it might be good to do so, as well. But if they tend to write with less formality, you are free to do so, too.
Where Did the Rule Against Starting a Sentence with But Come From?
According to linguist David Crystal, the rule started with schoolteachers in the 19th century. Many noticed young students habitually starting sentences with conjunctions and attempted to stop this in the interest of creating themes and essays with standalone, independent thoughts and clauses.
But instead of encouraging students to limit the use of these sentence starters, over time, they fell into a habit of banning the words altogether. Because of this, generations of children were taught never to start a sentence with conjunction when no such English grammar rule exists.
The Final Word on Can You Start a Sentence with But
Yes, you absolutely can start a sentence with but. But you need to make sure that the following sentence is not a fragment.
When it comes to using it in a business setting, that is a question of style rather than grammar. Follow the lead of the people in your office and your industry. And if there’s a style guide, that’s even better.
FAQ About Starting a Sentence with But
When can you start a sentence with but?
Any time you are joining a sentence with the one that proceeds it.
Are there times it’s wrong to start a sentence with but?
It’s wrong if your sentence is not a complete sentence. If it is a dependent clause, you should use a piece of punctuation other than a period.
Is it OK to use but at the start of a sentence according to AP Style or Chicago Manual of Style?
Both allow you to use but at the beginning of a sentence.
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It’s a question I often heard when I was teaching: Can a sentence start with but?
The answer is simple: Yes. Of course.
For years I offered $100 in cash to any student who could find the Don’t start a sentence with but rule in a grammar book from a reputable publisher. My librarian friends would invariably report a run on grammar books for the next couple of days.
Despite frantic efforts to claim the money, no student ever succeeded, for a simple reason: That “rule” doesn’t exist. Even Fowler’s Modern English Usage, the ultimate authority on grammar, says there’s no such rule. (See for yourself: Click on the link to read page 191, where you’ll find a discussion about starting sentences with but.)
Good writers start sentences with but all the time. To prove my point, a few minutes ago I found this sentence at the New York Times website in the second paragraph of a news story: “But Republicans still oppose many aspects of the bill, and a rough floor fight lies ahead.”
“Ah, yes,” you’re saying. “But that just proves how writing has deteriorated.”
I hear you. You’re sure you won’t find sentences starting with but in the Gettysburg Address, or FDR’s Inaugural Address, or Shakespeare, or the Declaration of Independence, or classic books like Pride and Prejudice and Little Women, or examples of fine prose like the King James Bible. Everybody knows that, right?
Wrong. Read on: I’ve assembled sentences starting with but from a variety of writers, old and new. For good measure, I included sentences from several authorities on good writing: Lynn Truss, Strunk and White, Theodore Bernstein, H. D. Fowler, and H. L. Mencken. (You might be interested to know that Princeton University did a study and found that professional writers start 10% of their sentences with “but” and “and.”)
But don’t take my word for it. Go to your bookcase and leaf through a couple of your favorite books. Pull out today’s newspaper and scan the front page. Turn the pages of your favorite magazine. Go to www.Bartleby.com, which has full texts of many classic books, and check out what famous writers from the past have done.
Here’s what you’ll discover: Not only do professional writers start sentences with but – they do it often. You won’t have to search far for examples. Happy hunting! (To learn more about punctuating sentences with but, click here and read about Comma Rule 2.)
Examples of Sentences Starting with But:
Eats, Shoots and Leaves, Lynn Truss, p. 7:
“But best of all, I think, is the simple advice given by the style book of a national newspaper: that punctuation is ‘a courtesy designed to help readers to understand a story without stumbling.’”
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, J. K. Rowling, p. 3:
“But on the edge of town, drills were driven out of his mind by something else.”
The Associated Press Stylebook (2007), p. 326:
“But use the comma if its omission would slow comprehension…”
Watch Your Language, Theodore Bernstein, p. 4:
“But when he is writing for the newspaper he must fit himself into the newspaper’s framework.”
Preface to Watch Your Language, Jacques Barzun:
“But I am not inviting the reader to witness a tender of compliments over what may seem like a mere byproduct of professional skill.”
The American Language: An Inquiry into the Development of English in the United States, H.L.Mencken (1921):
“But its chief excuse is its human interest, for it prods deeply into national idiosyncrasies and ways of mind, and that sort of prodding is always entertaining.”
The Elements of Style, Strunk and White (1918 edition):
“But whether the interruption be slight or considerable, he must never omit one comma and leave the other.”
The King’s English, H.D. Fowler (1908 edition):
“But if, instead of his Saxon percentage’s being the natural and undesigned consequence of his brevity (and the rest), those other qualities have been attained by his consciously restricting himself to Saxon, his pains will have been worse than wasted; the taint of preciosity will be over all he has written.”
Little Women, Louisa May Alcott, page 1:
“We can’t do much, but we can make our little sacrifices, and ought to do it gladly. But I’m afraid I don’t.” And Meg shook her head, as she thought regretfully of all the pretty things she wanted.
Epistle Dedicatory to Man and Superman, Bernard Shaw, 1903, p. 2:
“But you must not expect me to adopt your inexplicable, fantastic, petulant, fastidious ways….”
Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen, p. 1:
“My dear Mr. Bennet,” said his lady to him one day, “have you heard that Netherfield Park is let at last?”
Mr. Bennet replied that he had not.
“But it is,” returned she; “for Mrs. Long has just been here, and she told me all about it.”
FDR, First Inaugural Address, March 4, 1933:
“But it may be that an unprecedented demand and need for undelayed action may call for temporary departure from that normal balance of public procedure.”
The Gettysburg Address, Abraham Lincoln (1863):
“But in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground.”
Hamlet, William Shakespeare, Ii:
Horatio: So have I heard and do in part believe it.
But look, the morn, in russet mantle clad,
Walks o’er the dew of yon high eastward hill.
King James Bible, Luke 6:44 – 45 (Sermon on the Mount)
“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.”
Cashel Byron’s Profession, Bernard Shaw:
CASHEL. I go. The meanest lad on thy estate Would not betray me thus. But ’tis no matter.
P.S. I have sentences starting with but in all my books (I’ve published eleven of them). Did you notice that I started a sentence with but in this blog? Here it is: But don’t take my word for it.
It’s good advice, incidentally. Start doing your own investigation of these hallowed (but non-existent) rules.
My husband once had an editor who thought because was a bad word. Whenever he used because in an article, she’d call him and insist that he take it out. It never occurred to her to check the dictionary or see whether real-world writers use the word because (which, of course, they all do regularly). Made her look foolish, didn’t it?
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Usage
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Conjunctions
Summary
It’s grammatically fine to start a sentence with and, but, or any other coordinating conjunction. Do this when you want to emphasize the connection between two sentences.
Examples
- Diagnostic tests are now chargeable. Local hospitals have lost their funding. Community programs are ending. And the mobile app used to track appointments no longer works.
- The government is under pressure to provide fuel subsidies and tax breaks to businesses. But public health is as important as the price of fuel.
- You can pay by credit/debit card, e-wallet, prepaid card, or wire transfer. Or you can simply send us cash in an envelope.
In creative writing, the pause indicated by a period before and or but can lead up to a twist or a punch line and make a sentence more forceful and urgent.
Examples
Louis writes; Susan writes; Neville writes; Jinny writes; even Bernard has now begun to write. But I cannot write. I see only figures. The others are handing in their answers, one by one. Now it is my turn. But I have no answer.
— Virginia Woolf, The Waves (1931)
The past is whatever the records and the memories agree upon. And since the Party is in full control of all records, . . . the past is whatever the Party chooses to make it.
— George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949)
Don’t overuse conjunctions: not every sentence needs to start with and or but. And always make sure to use the right conjunction for the job.
And or but at start of sentence
It’s grammatically fine to start a sentence with and, but, or any other coordinating conjunction like or, yet, and so. Such words emphasize the connection between one sentence and another.
Examples
- Lulu wakes up at five in the morning. She goes to school. She has a part-time job. And she volunteers at her local animal shelter.
- This used to be a busy street full of shops and restaurants buzzing from morning to night. But the businesses are all now shuttered and silent.
- Scientists have now established that cats are intelligent beings. They understand words. They can read facial expressions. And they can teleport to parallel dimensions. But they still cannot resist the urge to poke their heads into a vase.
Coordinating conjunctions like and and but connect words, phrases, clauses, or sentences of equal status.
Examples
- earth and sky
- yellow lemons or green oranges
- Maya wants to go for a walk, but the city is under lockdown.
When a coordinating conjunction connects two sentences, it appears at the start of a sentence.
Example
- What Maya needed was to go for a walk in the park. But the city was under lockdown, and all she could do was look out the window.
A conjunction like and or but can also effectively link the first sentence of a paragraph to the last one of a previous paragraph.
Example
- . . . were unable to trace the source of the radiation.But recent advances in astrophysics have revealed that . . .
Starting a sentence with a coordinating conjunction is a useful way to highlight the link between sentences. In this article, we discuss when it is appropriate to start a sentence with a conjunction like and or but, and what to keep in mind to use these conjunctions correctly.
Emphasis
Use words like and, but, and so at the start of a sentence only if you want to emphasize them.
Examples
- I could cook a healthy meal, eat it, wash the dishes, and then work out. Or I could just stay in bed.
- It was an expensive restaurant, the kind where you dine rather than eat. We dutifully dined on six courses, accepting all the server’s suggestions. And then we realized we had no money.
- Farley drove at 70 mph all the way to the station, ignoring furious drivers, angry pedestrians, and startled pigeons. But he still missed his train.
- One morning Maya woke up to the realization that there were other ways to live. So she did the sensible thing and packed her bags for Fiji.
The period before the conjunction denotes a pause, which makes the next sentence more forceful. In creative writing, this can help create drama within a narrative. Compare this with sentences where the conjunction appears in the middle rather than at the start. Using a comma instead of a period warns the reader that there’s more to come, gently introducing the next thought, taking away the element of surprise.
Examples
- I could cook a healthy meal, eat it, wash the dishes, and then work out, or I could just stay in bed.
- We dutifully dined on six courses, accepting all the server’s suggestions, and then realized we had no money.
- Farley drove at 70 mph all the way to the station, ignoring furious drivers, angry pedestrians, and startled pigeons, but he still missed his train.
- One morning Maya woke up to the realization that there were other ways to live, so she did the sensible thing and packed her bags for Fiji.
Not all sentences need to start with a conjunction. A coordinating conjunction (like and, but, so, and nor) is usually perfectly fine appearing within a sentence.
Example
- Poor: It wasn’t raining. But Poco carried an umbrella along to the park.
The information that someone carried an umbrella to a park is not impactful enough to deserve a sentence-initial but.
Better: It wasn’t raining, but Poco carried an umbrella along to the park.
But if what you’re saying does deserve a sentence-final pause before it is said, use a period and then the conjunction.
Example
- When you’re sad, you are asked to remind yourself of all the millions of people less fortunate than you. But why would that make you feel better?
Such usage can lend a dramatic tone to text. This is why and and but are not often used to start sentences in academic and other formal writing.
Formality
In academic and business writing, which requires a more objective and less dramatic tone, writers are advised to avoid starting sentences with coordinating conjunctions like and and so. In a thesis or a statement of purpose, for example, most editors will replace a coordinating conjunction at the start of a sentence with transition words like however, furthermore, therefore, and nevertheless, also called conjunctive adverbs. (A conjunctive adverb connects two clauses or sentences, much like a conjunction.)
Examples
- Less formal: Our study did not yield conclusive results. But we believe our paper should be published since it includes data collected from a wide range of sources.
More formal: Our study did not yield conclusive results. Nevertheless, we believe our paper should be published since it includes data collected from a wide range of sources.
Less formal: Our sensors failed on the third day of the experiment. And all our data was lost in a hard disk crash.
More formal: Our sensors failed on the third day of the experiment. Furthermore, all our data was lost in a hard disk crash.
Less formal: After eight years of research, our study did not yield conclusive results. So we decided to abandon science altogether and become rock musicians.
More formal: After eight years of research, our study did not yield conclusive results. Therefore, we decided to abandon science altogether and become rock musicians.
Choice of conjunction
It’s fine to start a sentence with a conjunction like and or but, but make sure you use the right one for the job. Every conjunction expresses a specific logical relation. Check that the conjunction you use at the start of a sentence links back meaningfully to the previous sentence.
Examples
- Incorrect: We did everything we could to save the tree. And it was too late: the roots were already dead.
Correct: We did everything we could to save the tree. But it was too late: the roots were already dead. - Incorrect: Anita gave up on the algorithm altogether. She tried not to even think about it. But then one morning, the answer just came to her.
Correct: Anita gave up on the algorithm altogether. She tried not to even think about it. And then one morning, the answer just came to her. - Incorrect: We all know that people lie. So when we read something in a news article or a blog, we think that since it has been written down, it must be true.
Correct: We all know that people lie. Yet when we read something in a news article or a blog, we think that since it has been written down, it must be true.
As you can see, words like and, but, and so are susceptible to misuse. When you start a sentence with a conjunction, check that your choice of word is correct.
Tip
Don’t use but if no contrast is implied.
Example
- Incorrect: Farley set up the experiment and went to bed. But by morning, all the cells were dead.
Some information is missing here. Don’t use but unless the contrast is clear.
Correct: Farley set up the experiment exactly as he was supposed to. But by morning, all the cells were dead.
Overuse and misuse
Don’t use a conjunction like and or but between two sentences unless you need to emphasize the link between them. Sentences logically presented one after another are automatically connected in the reader’s mind. Starting a sentence with a conjunction makes this connection more urgent and forceful.
Example
- Incorrect: Maya has always wanted to travel. And she has dreamed of nothing else since she was young. But something kept getting in the way. So sometimes it was a job; other times, family. And she just never found the time to do the things she wanted. So she thought her life had slipped away from her. But then one morning, she woke up and realized it’s never too late. So she has booked herself a one-way ticket for a holiday in Fiji. And she has no specific plans, no itinerary, and no idea where she’ll go from there. But she can’t wait to find out.
- Correct: Maya has always wanted to travel. She has dreamed of nothing else since she was young, but something kept getting in the way. Sometimes it was a job; other times, family. She just never found the time to do the things she wanted. She thought her life had slipped away from her. Then one morning, she woke up and realized it’s never too late. She has booked herself a one-way ticket for a holiday in Fiji. She has no specific plans, no itinerary, and no idea where she’ll go from there. But she can’t wait to find out.
Teachers discourage students from using coordinating conjunctions at the start of a sentence because such words are easily overused or misused. But you don’t have to avoid starting sentences with and or but; just make sure to use a conjunction only when it’s needed.
Examples
- I would watch this movie a hundred times over. And then I’d watch it once more.
- The campaign’s PR machinery swung into gear: discrediting journalists, uploading propaganda, writing articles, trolling posts on social media. But the cat was out of the bag, and no amount of pretending there was no cat would put it back in.
Tip
Don’t place a comma after a conjunction (unless before a parenthetical element).
Example
- Incorrect: I wanted to tell him how much he meant to me. But, the time for words had passed.
Correct: I wanted to tell him how much he meant to me. But the time for words had passed.
Examples from literature
Writers start sentences with conjunctions like and and but when they want to clearly show the link with the previous sentence or add an element of drama, surprise, or urgency to their prose.
Examples
All through it, I have known myself to be quite undeserving. And yet I have had the weakness, and have still the weakness, to wish you to know with what a sudden mastery you kindled me, heap of ashes that I am, into fire.
The flower bloomed and faded. The sun rose and sank. The lover loved and went. And what the poets said in rhyme, the young translated into practice.
He had a word, too. Love, he called it. But I had been used to words for a long time.
Literature and history, these two great branches of human learning, records of human behaviour, human thought, are less and less valued by the young, and by educators, too. Yet from them one may learn how to be a citizen and a human being.
— Doris Lessing, Prisons We Choose to Live Inside (1986)
Don’t misunderstand me. I am not scoffing at goodness, which is far more difficult to explain than evil, and far more complicated. But sometimes it’s hard to put up with.
Some kinds of order were too vast for a human to know. But below the chaos of a single human life, you could trust that a cosmic breve was sounding.
In academic and other formal usage as well, starting sentences with and and but is an acceptable way to link ideas. Here are a couple of examples from an editorial in Nature.
Examples
- REACT-1, a long-running random-testing study, will lose its government funding at the end of this month. And ZOE, a mobile app that residents can use to log their COVID-19 symptoms, has lost its public funding, too.
- Of course, national budgets are being stretched thin. . . . But scaling back virus surveillance at this time is short-sighted.
— “This is no time to stop tracking COVID-19,” Nature (March 23, 2022)
Other conjunctions at start of sentence
Other conjunctions like because and since can also be used to start a sentence. While and, but, and or are coordinating conjunctions, because, since, although, whereas, etc. are subordinating conjunctions, which make one clause dependent on another for meaning. A sentence might start with because, for example, so that the main clause can gain end focus in the sentence.
Examples
- Because you asked me to, I added more sugar.
- Although cucumbers are used as vegetables, they are botanically fruit.
- Since you are already here, why don’t you talk to her yourself?
Today, I am here to set you free from one of the shibboleths of grammar. You will be liberated! I certainly was. At school, we were taught you should never, ever, under any circumstances start a sentence with a conjunction. That rules out starting sentences with either “and” or “but” when writing. I faithfully learned the rule. I became positively angry when I read books in which otherwise excellent writers seemed to make this faux pas. How could they be so sloppy?
One day, I decided to settle the matter once and for all. I would find an authoritative reference to back up what I had learned, and I would send it to someone who had just argued you can start a sentence with “but.”
Being Wrong Can Make You Happy
Once I started to check, I quickly realized I was going to be proved wrong. People, including some of the greatest writers of all time, have been starting sentences with “and” and “but” for hundreds of years. Of course, there are style guides that discourage it, but it’s perfectly acceptable to begin a sentence with “but” when writing. I was thrilled! That very day, I started peppering my writing with sentences starting with conjunctions. But one shouldn’t go overboard! See what I did there? Hah!
Using any stylistic quirk too frequently spoils your writing. By all means, start sentences with “but” from time to time, but remember that “but” also belongs after a comma. I did it again, didn’t I?
When Should You Consider Starting a Sentence With “But”?
“Contrary to what your high school English teacher told you, there’s no reason not to begin a sentence with but or and; in fact, these words often make a sentence more forceful and graceful. They are almost always better than beginning with however or additionally.” (Professor Jack Lynch, Associate Professor of English, Rutgers University, New Jersey)
Thank you, professor! I’ll admit to using “however,” but being lazy, I really do prefer the word “but” to begin a sentence when given a choice. “Additionally” is just awful, and I flinch every time I start a sentence with it. It seems so pompous!
The professor also confirms starting with the conjunction can make your writing more forceful. Remember, you don’t always want to be forceful. Sometimes sentence flow is more appropriate. But a choppy “but” at the start of a sentence certainly does seem to add emphasis when that’s what you’re looking for.
People Are Going to Argue This With You
Just as I once was a firm believer in the “never start a sentence with and or but” non-rule, you’ll come across enslaved souls who have been taught the very same non-rule. Where can they turn for confirmation and comfort? The Bible is always a good place. Refer them to Genesis Chapter 1 for sentences starting with “and.”
For a sentence starting with “but,” you may have to read a little further – all the way to Genesis 8:1: “But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded.”
Looking around online, I see some arguing that using the Bible as a work of English literature is pushing the envelope. I beg to differ, but perhaps as the world’s greatest bestseller, it’s a bit too commercial for them. Let’s take them to the real authority: the notoriously stuffy and pedantic, Fowler’s Modern English Usage. It’s seen as the authoritative book on English Grammar, and if they won’t believe it, they’re never going to believe anyone.
If they’re trying to find a comeback, you can always help them out. But they won’t be impressed with the reference you give them because I’m ready to bet you anything they’ve never have heard of Quackenbos!
“A sentence should not commence with the conjunctions and, for, but, or however…. ” (George Payn Quackenbos, An Advanced Course of Composition and Rhetoric, 1854)
Let’s sum up that argument, ladies and gentlemen of the jury. We have the Bible, a host of brilliant writers, and Fowler’s Modern English Usage vs… Quackenbos. I’ll see your Quackenbos and I’ll raise you an Albert Einstein. Oops, we’ve gone from law to poker. Please pardon the mixed metaphors. Of course, Shakespeare also occasionally mixed metaphors, but we’ll go into that another time, shall we?
Why Were Students Taught This Non-Rule Rule?
Why were we taught this non-rule rule about not starting sentences with conjunctions? Several authorities seem to think it was done to prevent school kids from writing as they often talk:
“I went to my friend’s house yesterday. And we decided to go to the mall. And while we were there we saw a whole bunch of our friends. And they were just hanging out like we were. And because we didn’t have any money that was all we could do, really.”
Or
“But then John said he’d had a birthday, and we could all go for ice creams. But when we got to the ice-cream parlor, he found that he had left his wallet at home. But that didn’t stop us from having a good time together while teasing John that he owed us an ice-cream.”
You have to admit, that’s a bit much. So to close, we quote Oscar Wilde, “Everything in moderation, including moderation.”