Of Course You Can Start a Sentence With “And” or “But”

I’m back to disprove yet another grammar myth. We’ve talked about avoiding contractions, putting two spaces after a period, ending a sentence with a preposition, and splitting infinitives. Now it’s time to tackle yet another “rule” that is actually complete NONSENSE!

The (Fake) Rule

Quite a lot of people seem to believe that they cannot begin a sentence with a conjunction. They’ll jump through hoops to avoid starting their sentence with words like and, but, or so. This belief actually has no solid foundation at all—there is no grammatical reason why a conjunction cannot begin a sentence.

Here’s just a little bit of background info for you before we get into the reality of this myth…

Conjunctions are words that join other words, phrases, clauses, or sentences. The most common conjunctions are coordinating conjunctions, which are those FANBOYS words (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so). However, there are many more conjunctions out there: since, after, meanwhile, moreover, though, because, and until are just a few examples.

The REAL Rule

Every source that I used while researching this “rule” came up with the same answer: Conjunctions absolutely CAN begin sentences. There’s no reason why you cannot start a sentence with but.

The Chicago Manual of Style states, “In fact, a substantial percentage (often as many as 10 percent) of the sentences in first-rate writing begin with conjunctions. It has been so for centuries, and even the most conservative grammarians have followed this practice.”

In other words, the idea that you cannot begin a sentence with and or but is pure superstition.

Style guides and handbooks even point out that and and but are incredibly useful and effective ways to begin sentences.

And is a great way to show your audience that you are continuing a train of thought and building upon what has already been stated. But is an effective signal to your reader that you are about to say something that contrasts with what came before it.

A famous grammarian, William Zinsser, summed it all up nicely: “Many of us were taught that no sentence should begin with but. If that’s what you learned, unlearn it.”

Why the Confusion?

So why do people seem to think they can’t begin their sentences with conjunctions? Has it ever been wrong to do so?

Here’s the short answer: No. People have been starting English sentences with conjunctions like and and but since the 9th century, and at no point did they stop. For example, most translations of the Bible are filled with sentences starting with and and but!

Then why are so many people taught that they shouldn’t use conjunctions at the start of sentences?

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary of English Usage has one theory. It suggests that teachers first prohibit sentence-starting conjunctions in order to “correct the tendency of children to string together independent clauses or simple declarative sentences with ands.” You know how kids tend to tell stories as one long sentence? Like “We got ready to go and I put on my shoes and we got in the car and we went into the store and…” Teachers may be trying to correct this tendency by limiting their use of conjunctions.

But here’s the problem—once kids grow up and get better at using subordinating clauses and breaking up their sentences, teachers apparently forget to tell them that conjunctions are not grammatical kryptonite. As a result, the lesson of “don’t start your sentence with and” is never corrected.

Whatever the reason for the anti-conjunction craze, the important thing to know is that it’s not real. There’s no good reason to avoid using but or and (or any other conjunction) at the start of a sentence.

A Word of Warning About “But”

There is one thing you need to know about but before you use it to begin a sentence: If but begins a sentence, you don’t need a comma right after it.

This café has excellent sandwiches. But, the one down the street has better coffee.

This café has excellent sandwiches. But the one down the street has better coffee.

However, if the comma is part of a pair that’s setting off a parenthetical clause, it’s OK to include it.

This café has excellent sandwiches. But, I must admit, the one down the street has better coffee.

In this sentence, “I must admit” is a parenthetical clause—it could be removed without changing the meaning of the sentence. It needs to be surrounded by commas, so it’s OK to have them right after but.

Other Myths About Words That “Shouldn’t” Begin Sentences

There have been all kinds of myths about words that “shouldn’t” begin sentences. Merriam-Webster found these examples of “rules” that are each just as bogus as the next!

• Do not begin a sentence with however or a similar unimportant word.
  • —Jacob Cloyd Tressler, English in Action, 1929
• Do not begin a sentence with “also” or “likewise.”
  • —George Hitchcock, Sermon Composition, 1908
• Or never begins a sentence, paragraph, or chapter.
  • —James Brown, The American System of English Grammar, 1826
• Never begin a sentence—or a clause—with also.
  • —J. M. D. Meiklejohn, The Art of Writing English, 1899
• Teach the elimination of but, so, and, because, at the beginning of a sentence.
  • —Documents of the School Committee of the City of Boston, 1916
• A sentence should not commence with the conjunctions and, for, or however….
  • —George Payn Quackenbos, An Advanced Course of Composition and Rhetoric, 1854

Apparently, people love a fake rule. Keep following along here at Strictly Speaking so you know which rules are real and which are nonsense!

Can you end a sentence with a preposition? Find out the rule here!

Sources:

• “America’s Most Trusted Dictionary.” Merriam-Webster. Accessed August 7, 2024. https://www.merriam-webster.com/grammar/words-to-not-begin-sentences-with.
• The Chicago Manual of Style. 17th ed. Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press, 2017.
• Ebbitt, D. R., and W. R. Ebbitt. Index to English. 8th ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 1990.
• Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of English Usage. 14th ed. Taunton, MA: QuadGraphics, 2016.