Can you start a sentence with the word "and"?

[neonerd]

I was always told that you could not use "because" at the beginning of a sentence. I found out recently that it's not true, and can in fact be used to start a sentece. Is it the same case for "and"?

 

[Colt45]

No, it is a conjunction (?) i forget. you jsut can't.

because it refers to a preceding argument

 

[FlyLice]

And who told you "and" cannot be used to start a sentence?

 

[dderidex]

And how would you do that?

 

[Yossarian]

can you do it and be grammatically correct, I don't think so. but writers get away with it now and then. I think Stephen King does it in whatever piece of crap book of his I'm reading now.

 

[Shawn]

yes, you can.

 

[Shame]

And no. Beacuse you can't.

 

[Orsorum]

You can, but rarely will it read well.

 

[dethman]

[chinese lady] and THEEEENNNN??? [/chinese lady]

 

[neonerd]

Originally posted by: Yossarian
can you do it and be grammatically correct, I don't think so. but writers get away with it now and then. I think Stephen King does it in whatever piece of crap book of his I'm reading now.

That's what I thought. I know writers get away with lots of things when writing books, but this is needed for a formal assignment; the one where I asked what font to use

Trebuchet MS ++

 

[imported_yovonbishop]

My English professor did it all the time in his stupid examples, so who knows.

 

[mercanucaribe]

You can use it however you want. English is a hodgepodge of languages which are also hodgepodges, with flawed grammar anyway.

 

[hdeck]

yes you can. there are "old school" teachers that would tell you it is incorrect but the new school of thought agrees that it is a perfectly acceptable way to start a sentence, not that you would ever have any reason to do it, though.

 

[miketheidiot]

And is my favorite word.

there i did it

 

[aplefka]

You can do it, but only sparingly. Same with because.

 

[clickynext]

I don't believe you can start a "proper" sentence with "and" in its form as a conjunction. But you can start a sentence with "but".

 

[aidanjm]

you're not supposed to, it's not technically correct. I do it when I'm posting here, wouldn't do it in an essay or assignment, tho.

 

[Adam8281]

Yes, you can start a sentence with "and." This is from dictionary.com:

Occasionally, especially in casual writing, you can begin a sentence with and or but. These words are mainly used to join elements within a sentence, but they have begun sentences since the tenth century. But, like anything in grammar, do it sparingly. Variety is the spice of writing, as it is of life!

 

[episodic]

Et tu, Brute

And you, Brutus?

 

[aidanjm]

Originally posted by: Adam8281
Yes, you can start a sentence with "and." This is from dictionary.com:

Occasionally, especially in casual writing, you can begin a sentence with and or but. These words are mainly used to join elements within a sentence, but they have begun sentences since the tenth century. But, like anything in grammar, do it sparingly. Variety is the spice of writing, as it is of life!

Interesting. Is this accepted practice for more formal writing endeavors?

 

[aidanjm]

Originally posted by: Adam8281
Yes, you can start a sentence with "and." This is from dictionary.com:

Occasionally, especially in casual writing, you can begin a sentence with and or but. These words are mainly used to join elements within a sentence, but they have begun sentences since the tenth century. But, like anything in grammar, do it sparingly. Variety is the spice of writing, as it is of life!

Can we start a sentence with a conjunction?

"You must not start a sentence with a conjunction" has been the mantra of many an exasperated English teacher, especially since the oiks started getting state education. Any pupil brave, daft or naive enough to raise a hand and ask "Why?" would probably have received some Kafkaesque explanation along the lines of "Because it is said."

So now we're all grown up, we'll ask again ? why? The honest answer is that there is no reason. It's just an arbitrary rule that's been passed through the ages. But all language is arbitrary, isn't it? Words and letters are but abstract concepts, the understanding of which can only come through the education of rules.

As usual with these issues, the argument is between the way English is used and the way it is "supposed to be". Sometimes a full stop is required to drive home a sentence or give a meaningful pause. And an afterthought like this one gets more impact when it's a sentence rather than a conjoined clause. So when someone tells you not to start a sentence with a conjunction, say: "But I've already done it."

What is a conjunction?

A conjunction is a word that joins two clauses, phrases or words together. By this rigid definition, it's not hard to see why some people think they can't be used to start a sentence. Some conjunctions are and, but, or, nor, yet, so and for, and our language has evolved enough to accommodate them at various points in a sentence. Just try not to end a sentence with one ... unless it's absolutely necessary.
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I would still be wary about this form of use in a formal essay, but that's just me.

 

[RaDragon]

Originally posted by: dethman
[chinese lady] and THEEEENNNN??? [/chinese lady]

i was thinking the same thing!