can you start a sentence with but

Follow the lead of the people in your office and your industry. Its a question I often heard when I was teaching.

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But this answer comes with a warning.

. I recall one teacher pointing out the difference between. It was easier to tell children never to do something. Grammar is boring but necessary.

It is very possible to create a grammatically correct sentence that begins with but. Most experts think the made-up rule stemmed from an oversimplification. FAQ About Starting a Sentence with But.

All tread shaky ground here. But could we in fact have ditched it along with that uniform shirt on which everyone scrawled their goodbyes on the last day of school. Here are a few more examples of when you should and shouldnt use a comma before but in a sentence.

Forget your school teachers rule. Starting a paragraph with a sentence that starts with And But Because Then etc. You can start a sentence with and or but ie a coordinating conjunction but many still consider this a nonconformist style.

But you should know about coordinating conjunctions to be sure that you are correct. There is nothing wrong with starting sentences with and but or other similar conjunctions. Using and at the beginning of a sentence has been a practice for over a thousand years.

Therefore starting a sentence with a coordinating conjunction is best reserved for impact. The good news is you can rest easy knowing that there is no true grammar rule that says you cant ever start a sentence with one of these conjunctions. Punctuation saves lives But Can I Start a Sentence with But.

Rather its a simple guideline you should apply to avoid risking a common grammatical mistake namely. You may however encounter people who mistakenly believe that starting a sentence with a conjunction is an error so consider your audience when deciding to structure your sentences this way. Thankfully though if used correctly we CAN start a sentence with but and all those other conjunctions too.

Using a sentence fragment. Through the piercing screech of chalk on the blackboard you discern a command. You cant start a sentence with and or but.

My librarian friends would invariably report a run on grammar books for the next couple of days. Grammar is boring but necessary. I have a problem with precision.

In fact these words often make a sentence more forceful and graceful. Read on to learn more. Consider the example below.

What you cant do is find a rule in a grammar book from a reputable publisher that says you should not start a sentence with but Read details below for an English teacher who offers students a 100 reward for finding a. There is nothing grammatically wrong with starting a sentence with a conjunction like but and or or. Can a sentence start with but.

But for the traffic I would have been here an hour ago. To answer you it is perfectly okay to begin a sentence with but. And if theres a style guide thats even better.

Yes you absolutely can start a sentence with but. The traffic was very heavy if it werent for the traffic Id have been here an hour ago They would have been badly injured but for the fact that they were wearing seat belts. For years I offered 100 in cash to any student who could find the Dont start a sentence with but rule in a grammar book from a reputable publisher.

Therefore you shouldnt use a comma before but. But for reason. According to a usage note in the fourth edition of The American Heritage Dictionary But may be used to begin a sentence at all levels of style And in The Kings English Kingsley Amis says that the idea that and must not begin a sentence or even a paragraph is an empty superstition.

Jim on October 17 2011 904 pm. Furthermore I believe it should be avoided because it makes your writing sound choppy unintellegent and lazy. Yes you could require previous prose to complete the meaning of the current sentence but you risk disrupting your readers forward momentum through your piece of writing.

The answer is simple. But for is used to introduce the reason why something didnt happen. I would go for a walk but for the rain.

Answer 1 of 41. One of the main reasons we are advised against this is the fact that we run the risk of writing sentence fragments. For a sentence starting with but you may have to read a little further all the way to Genesis 81.

How I sold snacks on the streets to pay school fees after people disappointed me - Young graduate narrates photos By Merriam-Websters definition a conjunction joins together clauses phrases words or sentences. For anyone who has ever laughed at a Lets eat Mom versus Lets eat Mom joke punch line. Its a rule beloved by schoolteachers.

When it comes to using it in a business setting that is a question of style rather than grammar. The idea that you shouldnt begin a sentence with a conjunction is one of those rules that really isnt along with some others youve probably heard like never split an infinitive and dont end a sentence with a. The short answer is yes.

Its perfectly fine to begin a sentence with a conjunction such as or but and or so. Whatever the current trend may be starting a sentence with and but or or is not acceptable in formal writing. Its perfectly acceptable to begin a sentence with and as well as doing so with words such as but or or.

However a lot of people dont know how to do it. Not beginning a sentence with but is a rule of thumbThis is not a hard and fast rule. Contrary to what your high school English teacher told you theres no reason not to begin a sentence with but or and.

The same goes for but. With that in mind lets get it out of the way before we get started on those specific rules. The dog is young but well trained.

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. Indeed either word can give unimprovably early. Can You Start A Sentence With But.

Its also one of the few rules of grammar many people remember actually being mentioned at school. But of course you can. You might have heard that you cant start a sentence with but or and But both can be used at the beginning of a sentence you just need to know how to do it.

The dog is young but well trained. This little guide book is the smart and sassy English teacher that we all wished we had. But you need to make sure that the following sentence is not a fragment.

Never start a sentence with and or but.

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