Can I Start a Sentence with And?

How about But? What is the rule when it comes to conjunctions?

Jul 23, 2006 Kimberly Dawn Wells

For years our teachers have told us, "Don't start your sentences with a conjunction!" However, the rules are changing.

If you're anything like me, for years and years you avoided using "but," "and," or "yet" to start a sentence. This often resulted in run-on sentences or short, choppy ones. The good news is that the rules are changing and it is now considered acceptable to start a sentence with a conjunction.

The most common conjunctions to start a sentence are "and" and "but," as show in the examples below.

*** Starting a sentence with a conjunction can be tricky. But, when you use it sparingly, it can be very effective.

*** Many business people think starting a sentence with a conjunction is unprofessional. And, you may still believe that too.

If you are tempted to start a sentence with "but" or "and" and wish to use a more formal term instead, try the following:

Instead of: "But, I like the red one too."

Try: "The red one is nice too."

Or try: "Nevertheless, the red one is flattering as well."

Instead of: "And, we hope to see you this fall at our fundraising event."

Try: "In addition, we hope to see you this fall at our fundraising event."

Or try: "Furthermore, we are pleased that you will be attending our fundraising event this fall."

The grammar guides still discourage placing a conjunction at the end of a sentence, and of course, use them wisely!

Do you need some more help with grammar rules? Try these:

- Its vs It's - Which is it?

- Apostrophes Show Ownership

- One Word or Two?

The copyright of the article Can I Start a Sentence with And? in Resources for Writers is owned by Kimberly Dawn Wells. Permission to republish Can I Start a Sentence with And? in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.