The use of “and” or “but” at the start of a sentence sometimes brings a sense of informality. Different types of writing call for different approaches. You should also take into consideration what you are writing. Perhaps this means making your two sentences one-using “and” or “but” with a comma, rather than a period. 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. This means it has a clearly defined subject and verb. 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. 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 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”? No matter what the word is, you never want to start too many consecutive sentences with the same word. But reading it is an entirely different experience. It’s one thing to verbally hear a story told in this fashion. And this one seagull stole some guys fries while he was trying to eat them! And it scared the guy so much, he jumped nearly ten feet in the air!” And while we were on the beach, we saw lots of seagulls and other birds. “My friend and I went to the beach yesterday. But they weren’t as good as the ones we were going to get.” But we had to go somewhere else to get them. “We wanted to go to get burgers and they weren’t open. If you haven’t-well, these two examples will help provide some insight… 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. 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 they way they talk. 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. Why Were We All Taught a Rule that Doesn’t Exist? They are almost always better than beginning with however or additionally.” - Professor Jack Lynch, Associate Professor of English, Rutgers University, New Jersey “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. 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. There are seven coordinating conjunctions: “And” and “but” are called coordinating conjunctions and are a part of a much longer list of words. 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.
Ever had the tune to “Conjunction Junction” stuck in your head for no apparent reason? You’re not alone. After all, there is a time and place for everything, right?įirst, 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. The truth is, it’s okay to start a sentence with the words “and” or “but”-if you do it correctly. Breathe Easy Knowing You’re Not the Only Misled Student.When Should You Follow the Old “English Class Rule”?.
0 kommentar(er)
