There is a commonly stated “rule” of grammar that beginning a sentence with and, or any other conjunction, is a mistake. But this is just not true. This supposed “rule” has no basis in actual writing, and even formal writing features plenty of sentences that start with and and other conjunctions. And we think that is really cool. So, are we going to debunk this pesky rule (that isn’t really a rule) stating that conjunctions can’t be sentence leaders? Yes, we are.
Can you start a sentence with and?
The word and is one of the most commonly used words in English, and it is one of the seven coordinating conjunctions used to form complex sentences like this one. Normally, we use a comma when we join independent clauses together with coordinating conjunctions. For example:
- I have a cat, and my sister has a dog.
Now, it is time to answer the million dollar question. Can you start a sentence with the word and? Despite what some supposed grammar gatekeepers might tell you, the answer is yes! In fact, most style guides encourage starting a sentence with a coordinating conjunction if you are trying to make a point or using it for stylistic emphasis. For example, we can use and for dramatic effect like so:
- We used every trick, strategy, and gimmick we had at the competition. And we won!
There are a variety of reasons that we might start a sentence with and, such as for rhetorical effect, style, clarity, or flow. That being said, some people consider this to be improper, so don’t be surprised if you have a teacher or boss that takes you to task over this “mistake.” Still, you probably don’t want to overdo it and start all of your sentences with and.
➡️ One thing to keep in mind
There is one caveat to keep in mind, though, which doesn’t just apply to sentences starting with and. A complete sentence has a subject and a predicate. A collection of words that lacks one of these is not a sentence but a sentence fragment. While formal writing does allow for a very limited use of sentence fragments, these are often considered to be outright grammatical errors. So, unless you have a good reason, you should usually try to ensure your sentence that begins with and is, in fact, a sentence and not a sentence fragment. For example:
- Sentence: The woods were dark and spooky. And I think I saw a ghost!
- Sentence fragment: The circus has a dozen clowns. And a bear on a unicycle!
Examples
The following examples show the different ways we might use and to begin sentences.
- You may feel sad sometimes. And that’s okay.
- My neighbor is a nice guy who helps with yard work. And he gets me free coffee.
- The author announced another delay of her new book. And the reaction was just what you’d expect.
Can you start a sentence with but?
That takes care of and, but what about but? Like and, but is another of the seven coordinating conjunctions. All the points that we made about and apply to but as well. Typically, we use a comma when combining sentences with but. But we could use it to start a sentence instead! As with and, we might do this for many reasons. And it isn’t a mistake to do it!
Examples
Here are some examples of sentences that begin with but.
- I really need a new car. But I can’t afford one.
- It slices. It dices. It will file your taxes for you. But that’s not all!
- The comedian told all his best jokes. But nobody laughed.
You don’t always have to use but! Learn some alternatives for this common conjunction.
What about the other conjunctions?
As mentioned previously, and and but are two of the seven coordinating conjunctions. But what about the other five? Can we start sentences with them too? Yes, we can! While we typically use a comma to join sentences with coordinating conjunctions, we could also break those sentences apart.
Let’s look at examples of sentences that begin with each of the other five coordinating conjunctions.
- For: I didn’t tell my teacher I enjoyed her class. For that would be a lie.
- Nor: She didn’t hurt that poor kitty. Nor would she hurt any animal.
- Or: We could say we saw an alien. Or we could pretend none of this ever happened.
- Yet: Dash ran as hard and as fast as he could. Yet he still only finished third in the race.
- So: My daughter really doesn’t want to clean her room. So she has been hiding from me all day.
So far, we have only talked about coordinating conjunctions, but there are many more conjunctions out there. Can we start sentences with them, too? We sure can! For example:
- We will go to the store. After we eat breakfast, of course.
When we look beyond coordinating conjunctions, we see a new trend start to emerge. These other conjunctions are subordinating conjunctions, meaning they attach a subordinate clause to a main clause. Grammatically, it is considered perfectly acceptable to begin a sentence with a subordinate clause. In fact, you will see this extremely often in formal writing and even the strictest grammarian would not consider this to be against the rules. For example:
- Because I needed an A on the test, I studied harder than I ever had before.
Additionally, many of these conjunctions can also be used as adverbs and it is totally in line with grammatical rules to begin a sentence with an adverbial phrase:
- After all that running around, my dog took a long nap.
All of this means that not only can you start sentences with conjunctions, you might end up with a much clearer and interesting sentence if you do!
Examples
Let’s finish things up by looking at a whole bunch of great sentences that begin with conjunctions.
- My kids would never steal something. Because they know stealing is wrong.
- I didn’t call his bluff. Although I was really tempted to.
- This puzzle is really easy. Even a baby could solve it.
- We will catch Bigfoot. If we can ever find him.
- She said she was going to meet Bart in Springfield. Wherever that is.
- Nate can be the best player on the team. When he feels like it.
- This mystery is all but solved. Now that Sherlock Holmes is here.
- The two brothers need to work together. Before it is too late.
And there’s more—Grammar Coach™, that is!
Confused about conjunctions and their proper use? The Thesaurus.com Grammar Coach™ platform makes writing papers, essays, emails, and a whole lot more a whole lot easier. This writing tool uses machine-learning technology uniquely designed to catch grammar as well as spelling errors. Its Synonym Swap will find the best nouns, adjectives, and more to help say what you really mean, guiding you toward clearer, stronger, writing.
Asked by: Karson Ryan
Score: 4.2/5
(33 votes)
It’s perfectly acceptable to begin a sentence with «And,» as well as the other words that we are often taught to avoid such as «but» or «or.» Writing samples tracing back to the 9th century, including Bible translations, break these «sacred» rules, which stem from attempts to curb school children from stringing too …
Why is it bad to start a sentence with and?
‘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.
What is it called starting a sentence with and?
It’s Fine to Start a Sentence with a Coordinating Conjunction. «And,» «but,» and «or» are the three most common members of a group of words known as coordinating conjunctions.
What words can’t you start a sentence with?
There’s no grammar rule that says you can’t start a sentence with “and.” Others stretch this idea further, saying it’s wrong to start a sentence with any conjunction, including “so” and “but.” Again, the idea here is that these words indicate a continuation of a thought that started in a previous sentence.
Can you start a sentence with and in academic writing?
The answer is yes. It is perfectly acceptable to start sentences with the conjunctions and and but. However, it is slightly informal. If formality is your goal, choose more formal language.
45 related questions found
What 3 words should you never start a sentence with?
You should never start a sentence with the words “and” or “but” – never.
Is it proper to begin a sentence with and/or but?
Answer: It is completely acceptable to begin a sentence with the words and, but, and or. Conjunction words like these join together sentences, clauses, or phrases.
When to use a and an in a sentence?
Use “a” before words that start with a consonant sound and “an” before words that start with a vowel sound. Other letters can also be pronounced either way. Just remember it is the sound that governs whether you use “a” or “an,” not the actual first letter of the word.
How do you use and example in a sentence?
And sentence example
- The boy laughed cheerfully and jumped out. …
- He laughed at that, and his laugh was merry and frank. …
- She stopped and gazed up at his face. …
- He parked the truck in front of the house and headed down the hill.
Is it okay to start a sentence with and Reddit?
From my research it seems that it is a rule «on the books» but that it has really fallen out of favor and beginning a sentence with «and» is acceptable today (as long as it’s not done in excess, etc).
Can you start a sentence with but apa?
The purpose of conjunctions such as however, but, and and is to join, and a word beginning a sentence should not be a joining word.
What is and in a sentence?
And is a conjunction, and in particular a coordinating conjunction. Conjunctions are words that join together other words or groups of words, and coordinating conjunctions specifically connect words, phrases, and clauses that are of equal importance in the sentence.
What are 10 simple sentences?
50 examples of simple sentences
- She doesn’t study German on Monday.
- Does she live in Paris?
- He doesn’t teach math.
- Cats hate water.
- Every child likes an ice cream.
- 6.My brother takes out the trash.
- The course starts next Sunday.
- She swims every morning.
How do you use and in a statement?
When you combine each one of them with an IF statement, they read like this:
- AND – =IF(AND(Something is True, Something else is True), Value if True, Value if False)
- OR – =IF(OR(Something is True, Something else is True), Value if True, Value if False)
- NOT – =IF(NOT(Something is True), Value if True, Value if False)
Where we use A and an?
The two indefinite articles in English are a and an. The indefinite article an is used to make pronunciation easier when reading a text aloud. The general rule is to use a when the indefinite article precedes a word beginning with a consonant sound and an when it precedes a word starting with a vowel sound.
Are and is Examples?
If the noun is singular, use is. If it is plural or there is more than one noun, use are. The cat is eating all of his food. The cats are eating all of their food.
What difference between A and an?
‘A’ and ‘an’ are both indefinite articles used before nouns or before adjectives that modify nouns. To determine if you should use ‘a’ or ‘an’ before a word, you need to listen to the sound the word begins with. Use ‘a’ if the word begins with a consonant sound and use ‘an’ if the word begins with a vowel sound.
Can I use but after a period?
It is grammatically correct to use “but” at the beginning of a sentence, though it is supposed to be immediately followed by a comma. It is normally not something you should do in correct sentence structure. There are many better alternatives as someone else stated before.
How do you join a sentence with but?
Tom ran, but he missed the bus.
…
Conjunctions are used to connect two sentences into one long sentence:
- I play tennis and I swim.
- You can go to the cinema, or you can visit your aunt.
- Ana loves oranges, but she hates pears.
- It was raining, so I took an umbrella.
- Peter is crying because he has failed his exams.
How do you start a sentence with OK?
The only way I know of starting a sentence with OK is when I am being asked a favor which I agree to grant. Examples: A: Could you please do this for me? B: OK, with pleasure.
Can a sentence start with so?
In fact, starting a sentence with a conjunction such as so, for, but can actually be totally acceptable. Most people don’t care, but those who do, care a whole lot. So, why do many people hate seeing it? Well, the main reason is that it can result in fragmented sentences, which impede flow and readability.
Can you start a paragraph with okay?
Okay is one of those words that peppers the speech patterns of many people. Here is the scoop on okay. If it comes at the beginning of a sentence, follow it with a period. It stands by itself and is not attached to anything around it.
What is the example of 1 sentence?
Simple Sentences
A simple sentence has the most basic elements that make it a sentence: a subject, a verb, and a completed thought. Examples of simple sentences include the following: Joe waited for the train. The train was late.
Can use sentences?
She can speak several languages. He can swim like a fish. They can’t dance very well. … She could speak several languages.
What is an example of 5 sentences?
5 sentences: The police department in my town is just around the corner from my house. Every summer I try to find the biggest tree around to climb. My mom always complains that my socks stink after I get home from camp.
You should never start a sentence with the words “and” or “but”—never.
If that was drilled into your head at some point during your elementary school English lessons, then you’re not alone. Most of us were taught this rule in school—and we followed it with every writing assessment, research paper, and book report we ever wrote.
So, if it’s improper to start a sentence with the words “and” or “but” then why do so many prolific, notable writers do it? As do bloggers, journalists, and copywriters. It might seem like a rebellious move—but the truth is, it’s not really “against the rules” at all.
Telling It Straight
The truth is, it’s okay to start a sentence with the words “and” or “but”—if you do it correctly. After all, there is a time and place for everything, right?
First, let’s take a quick jump down memory lane to those Schoolhouse Rock! tapes you watched when the substitute teacher didn’t know the subject. Ever had the tune to “Conjunction Junction” stuck in your head for no apparent reason? You’re not alone.
However, after so many years, do you remember what the function of a conjunction really is? It might seem obvious—a conjunction connects two thoughts or ideas. “And” and “but” are called coordinating conjunctions and are a part of a much longer list of words.
There are seven coordinating conjunctions:
- and
- but
- or
- nor
- for
- so
- yet
However, the ones we were specifically taught to avoid starting a sentence with are “and” and “but.” The good news is, you can rest easy knowing that there is no true grammar rule that says you can’t ever start a sentence with one of these conjunctions.
“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
Why Were We All Taught a Rule that Doesn’t Exist?
Realizing now, ten, twenty, or even thirty years or more later that you were lied to might be frustrating—but your teachers really did have your best interests in mind. While there is no definitive answer as to why we were taught this “rule,” the explanation that makes the most sense was that it was meant to prevent kids from writing the way they talk.
Think about it—have you listened to a child or teenager talk for any extended amount of time? If you have, then you can understand exactly what these teachers were trying to avoid.
If you haven’t—well, these two examples will help provide some insight…
“We wanted to go to get burgers and they weren’t open. But we still got burgers. But we had to go somewhere else to get them. But they weren’t as good as the ones we were going to get.”
“My friend and I went to the beach yesterday. And while we were on the beach, we saw lots of seagulls and other birds. And this one seagull stole some guy’s fries while he was trying to eat them! And it scared the guy so much, he jumped nearly ten feet in the air!”
It’s one thing to verbally hear a story told in this fashion. But reading it is an entirely different experience. No matter what the word is, you never want to start too many consecutive sentences with the same word. The overuse of “and” and “but” in spoken English is likely the main reason our teachers forbid us from starting a sentence with them in our writing!
When Is It Okay to Start a Sentence with “And” or “But”?
So, if there is a time and place for everything—where is the proper time and place to use “and” or “but” at the beginning of your sentence?
The first thing you want to remember is that you’re using this word to connect two thoughts—so your phrase should be able to stand on its own. This means it has a clearly defined subject and verb.
If you remove your conjunction and you suddenly have a sentence fragment that doesn’t seem to make sense, then you need to rework your wording. Perhaps this means making your two sentences one—using “and” or “but” with a comma, rather than a period.
You should also take into consideration what you are writing. Different types of writing call for different approaches. The use of “and” or “but” at the start of a sentence sometimes brings a sense of informality. It might be right for your blog posts, whereas more formal coordinating conjunctions like “additionally” or “however” might read better in a white paper.
The bottom line is though, it’s never truly off limits. Sometimes it’s more impactful to be so precise and direct.
When Should You Follow the Old “English Class Rule”?
In most business writing—especially digital marketing copy like blog posts, emails, and social media posts—you shouldn’t stress using “and” or “but” to start your sentence. No one is going to point it out. No one is going to laugh at you. In fact, someone else who doesn’t already know the truth might think you’re the rebel for being so daring in the first place!
But there are times when you’ll want to follow this mock rule. Data-driven content—case studies, statistic focused white papers, text book content, these are places where you might not only see less opportunity to start a sentence with a conjunction, but also where it could be beneficial to avoid doing so.
If you’ve already got years of practice avoiding starting your sentence with one of these words, then it might take some retraining to find yourself starting a sentence this way. On the other hand, following this rule helps you to expand your vocabulary and use other words and phrases to get your points across. (I could have used “but” to start that last sentence; «on the other hand» adds variety while also giving a stronger sense of weighing up options.)
Breathe Easy Knowing You’re Not the Only Misled Student
It’s been years now since teachers started drumming into students that they should never—ever—start their sentence with the words “and” or “but.” If you’re one of likely millions who was taught this lie during your schooldays, don’t feel bad. This is just another case of a few people creating a problem for the rest of us.
Since teachers didn’t think they could trust some students to be more creative in telling their stories, they restricted everyone. Sure, it worked—you’ll hardly come across something written on the internet with repetitive starts, especially not “and” or “but”—but at what cost? Many of us were following a grammar rule that doesn’t exist—and probably got irrationally mad that editors missed such a common mistake again and again.
Can you already feel the weight lifted? If you’re one of many who has been avoiding using “and” or “but” to start a sentence, don’t hold back! It’s the freedom that comes with finding out a constraint you’ve worked around for years is no longer an issue.
Try using this new technique in your writing to create more direct and powerful statements.
Take your writing to the next level:
20 Editing Tips From Professional Writers
Whether you are writing a novel, essay, article or email, good writing is an essential part of communicating your ideas.
This guide contains the 20 most important writing tips and techniques from a wide range of professional writers.
Have you tried ProWritingAid yet? What are you waiting for? It’s the best tool for making sure your copy is strong, clear, and error-free!
-
#1
I see people give a picture in some web album the title which starts with «and» or «…and» (lowercase a). Do they assume people would know some story behind it that can be indicated in the picture? Or is there some meaning else?
-
#2
Hi,
I would assume the web albums have a rather casual setting and that’s probably not a rule you should adopt for more formal writing. However, it might help if you could give us some examples of this usage of «and» you’re talking about.
Cheers!
-
#3
Sometimes people (like me for example) use the titles to tell a story. So the title of photo #3 could be a continuation of the sentence that began with photo #1. I would normally use ellipses … to indicate that kind of continuation.
As a general guideline, students of English are advised not to start sentences with and, or even And. That helps to encourage good sentence structure. But you will find that experienced writers often begin sentences with conjunctions — it has always been so. For more, see these threads:
But at the start of sentence
«yet» at the beginning of a sentence
-
#4
The Irish language often uses its ‘and’ at the start of a sentence. Some people with an Irish background can unconsciously use this formation when constructing a sentence in English — even though they might not know enough Irish to express the same thoughts in Irish .
A lot of the ungrammatical English spoken in Ireland can be traced to Irish language constructions.
Perhaps other languages have similar influences on how some people compose their English sentences.
-
#5
Thank you, panjandrum.
Your comment is very educational to me.
I will remember «donate to you».And I now find my error. «in a certain circumstances» is worng.
«in certain circumstances» or «in a certain circumstance» should be right.
Hello teachers.
This is from another thread posted by myself.
If I remember correctly, my English teacher used to say that «And» at the top of a sentence is not good.
Is it right?
If so, what is better instead of «And»?
«By the way,» or «Well«?
I think I often write a sentence starting with «And».
And I think it seems childish because my 8 year old daughter often uses and-equivalent-Japanese-word at the begining of her Japanese sentences, which seems very childish to me. So I am correcting her now.
So am I.
And I wonder if there were more proper and lofty conjunctions.
Please help me.
Last edited: Dec 31, 2008
-
#6
You remember correctly- it is not proper to begin sentences with the word «and» or «but». Omit the «and» from the front of the sentence altogether. Other conjunctions depend on the topic.. you could use «also» or «for instance» if appropriate. I hope this helps..
-
#7
«And» is a joining word so its use at the beginning of a sentence is not correct because you’re not «joining» anything when you start a new sentence.
I cannot tell you what is «better». There are many, many ways to do this but I would not use «By the way» or «Well». I’ll use the sentences that you provided in your post:
«I think I often write a sentence starting with «And». I think it seems childish because my 8—year—old daughter often uses and-equivalent-Japanese-word at the begining of her Japanese sentences, which seems very childish to me. So and I am correcting her now.
I wonder if there were are more proper and lofty conjunctions.»
I’ve simply deleted the «And»s.
I’ve also deleted the «So» at the beginning of your second-last sentence. Some would argue that it’s acceptable at the beginning of a sentence but I’m one of those who would not.
-
#8
Using or not using and at the beginning of a sentence is a matter of style and not grammar. And, but, and numerous other conjunctions are perfectly normal and acceptable at the beginning of an English sentence as far as English grammar is concerned and are frequently found in corpora of natural English conversation.
In formal writing, though, you might opt for a more formal discourse marker, such as «moreover», «as well», «furthermore», «additionally» etc. In informal speech and writing, though, «And…» is just another perfectly ordinary discourse organizer.
-
#9
Thank you, ValeLaPena, Dimcl and Transatlantic.
-
#10
Using or not using and at the beginning of a sentence is a matter of style and not grammar. And, but, and numerous other conjunctions are perfectly normal and acceptable at the beginning of an English sentence as far as English grammar is concerned and are frequently found in corpora of natural English conversation.
In formal writing, though, you might opt for a more formal discourse marker, such as «moreover», «as well», «furthermore», «additionally» etc. In informal speech and writing, though, «And…» is just another perfectly ordinary discourse organizer.
Very well stated!
«And what of the things beneath its crust? And of the great spaces with no world
at all?» C.S. Lewis
-
#11
You remember correctly- it is not proper to begin sentences with the word «and» or «but». Omit the «and» from the front of the sentence altogether. Other conjunctions depend on the topic.. you could use «also» or «for instance» if appropriate. I hope this helps..
Please remember to tell that ruffian W. Shakespeare.
As You Like It
:
Silvius. It is to be all made of faith and service; And so am I for Phebe.
Phebe. And I for Ganymede.
Orlando. And I for Rosalind.
Rosalind. And I for no woman.
-
#12
I agree that «and» is often used at the start of sentences in literary contexts and in informal writing that is perhaps intended to reflect common speech patterns.
I do however think it is important (I almost started with «But» there) to confirm the general rule for the benefit of those learning English, which is that, as a matter of good style, they are best to avoid starting a sentence with «and» or «but» (or indeed «so»).
-
#13
Please remember to tell that ruffian W. Shakespeare.
As You Like It
:
Silvius. It is to be all made of faith and service; And so am I for Phebe.
Phebe. And I for Ganymede.
Orlando. And I for Rosalind.
Rosalind. And I for no woman.
Oh- I only meant that my textbooks say one should avoid it in formal writings. They (usually) don’t put conditions on writing as an art form… thank you for the perspective!
I’m not incorrigible.
Last edited: Dec 31, 2008
-
#14
In spoken English, I see no problem with beginning a sentence with «and», especially if you, or your daughter, or the Bard are adding to a previous thought.
In formal English it’s usually unnecessary.
If you insist, you could try:
I often think …
I also wonder …
-
#15
Students of English should be aware that starting a sentence with a co-ordinating conjunction (such as and) is frowned upon by many people. Some of those people could be marking your English exams, so be careful.
The reason for their frowning is not that this is a grammatical error. To quote Fowler’s New Modern English Usage:
«There is a persistent belief that it is improper to begin a sentence with And, but this prohibition has been cheerfully ignored by standard authors from Anglo-Saxon times onwards. An initial And is a useful aid to writers as the narrative continues.»
It is frowned upon because it is a typical symptom of inadequate thought or a hacked-up run-on sentence.
«Do not start a sentence with a conjunction.» is a very useful guideline. Using a conjunction to start a sentence is generally a bad thing, but sometimes it is exactly right.
Hence this modified version of the «rule».
Do not start a sentence with a conjunction without being aware that you are doing it, and being confident that it is stylistically acceptable.
(There is an alternative version: Do not start a sentence with a conjunction until you have been writing English every day for at least 45 years )
-
#16
I think that last rule is a bit harsh, Panj. but I take the point about learners not trying it in the first few years, and about people correcting English exams not always being broadminded about such things.
I hate to see such blanket rules laid down for beginners when they aren’t a matter of grammar at all. I know that teachers sometimes lay down rules which aren’t sound in themselves but maybe will elicit the right response from the pupil: my grandmother’s Lancashire driving instructor, Mr Grimes, told her sagely: ‘When ye get ter cross-roawds, git over before trouble develops’.
Are we necessarily to assume that nothing has gone before? You take away a wonderful resource of the language by making such assumptions. Here’s a great Elizabethan poet, one of the most elaborate anti-heroes of English literature, making fun this time of his incompetence as a lover by use of the device.
-
#17
I fully agree with the fine advice given by panj, el escoces, and Transatlantic. Learners, both native and non-native speakers of English, should use great care, or be prudent and avoid an initial ‘and’. I maintain my sense of mirth toward those who confuse such advice with a «rule».
-
#18
I second Panj’s approach. It’s asking for chaos, in my view, to attempt to teach a language on the basis of what some writers successfully do. One needs to learn to walk first, so to speak. Anything more advanced can wait.
As a general guideline for beginners, I see no harm in a rule that indicates that sentences shouldn’t be started with «and» or «but».
EDIT: and by rule I don’t mean absolute rule, clearly, but generally applicable rule (capable of being broken, like all good rules)
-
#19
Just to confuse students further, it is fine to write
«‘And’ and ‘but’ are two common conjunctions,» and
«But for my timely advice, he would be in prison now.»
Rover
-
#21
I think while technically the rule is that you can’t use «And» at the beginning of the sentence, it’s not a very important rule, so lots of people ignore it. It’s quite common to see, and I wouldn’t think anything of it if I saw it.
-
#22
Technically the «rule» is due to and being a co-ordinating conjunction; in other words, it co-ordinates what is said before it in a sentence with what is said after it. It follows from this that it should be in the middle of a sentence because if it is the first word in a sentence, there is nothing before it in that sentence. Yet skilful writers and journalists use and in initial position. In those cases, and co-ordinates what has been said in the previous sentence with what follows it:
He sat down on a bench. And he wasn’t even tired.
Technically, this is of course wrong but it is commonly used for emphasis or as a stylistic device. The same applies to other co-ordinating conjunctions like but, for example.
-
#23
I often start sentences with And or But.
I like Grumpy Old Man’s comment:
it is commonly used for emphasis or as a stylistic device.
-
#24
I was schooled to never start a sentence with «and», and for many years I hewed to that rule. More recently I’ve found that starting a sentence with «and» can be just fine. And that’s just the way it is.
-
#25
I remember to read somewhere in this forum that we should not start a sentence with and. Here is one reference below.
http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=64399 #4
The Wordreference contributor in #4 did not specify
— which grammarian he was citing, or
— why he thought that grammarian was authoritative, or
— what kind of English the «rules» were meant to apply to, or
— why the grammarian thought those were useful «rules».
In these circumstances, the «rules» must be taken with a big pinch of salt.
Last edited: May 12, 2009
-
#26
Don’t start a sentence with «And».
That is a very useful rule/instruction/guideline for beginners in English. The thread that veracity linked in post #1 includes this incredibly wise statement:
panj said:
That «rule» is another of the «Guidelines for learners of English, native and non-native» that are very helpful, but should not be revered as solemn and binding commitments on everyone for ever.
See And at the head of a sentence.
-
#27
I was taught (circa 1970) never to start a sentence with an and or a but.
I’ve always been pleased to ignore that particular meaningless rule.
-
#28
Is it right to start a sentence with the word ‘AND’? I happened to see such usages many times in websites. But once my teacher said it is not a right usage. Actually I’m confused.
-
#29
There are actually two types of usage that seem to get lumped together. There’s when a sentence starts with the word «and», and when a sentence fragment starts with «and». Examples:
We went to the store. And we bought some milk. And bread.
The first «and» starts off a sentence. The second «and» starts off a sentence fragment. I think that the prohibition against «and» originated in trying to discourage sentence fragments, but now many teachers simply state that sentences shouldn’t start with «and» even if it’s not a sentence fragment.
-
#31
If you start a sentence with and, you suggest that something has gone before. Clearly the writer may have been unspecific about what the something may be. This is a device commonly used by writers to intrigue their readers and to raise questions in their minds.
It’s not something I’d recommend to learners in the language, but the suggestion that it should be solemnified into a rule of some kind is absurd.
-
#32
Perhaps the commonest use of And starting a sentence is where the theme, rather than the preceding subject, is continued:
Newscaster: “Today, the president opened the new science block at the university.” [There is a videoed report, at the end of which…] “And, in other news, a bear was stuck up a tree in Washington.” [Another video is shown.]
The theme of “news” was continued, but the subject was changed.
Also
“So this concludes my lecture on the life of the squirrel.
And on another matter, I see that we have Professor Black in the audience, who has studied fruit trees for 20 years.”
The theme of a talk from someone continues, but his topic has changed.