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Starting Sentences With
Conjunctions |
The film Finding Forrester tells a story of a high
school student who becomes friends with a famous writer
named William Forrester.
Forrester published a single book, then withdrew from
public life.
Forrester teaches the student about writing. In one
scene, he gives this piece of advice:
"You should never start a sentence with a conjunction…
It's a firm rule."
In today's program, we are going to explore that “rule.”
Should writers not use conjunctions such as but and and
at the beginning of a sentence?
What are coordinating
conjunctions?
Many writing students are confused about conjunctions.
Perhaps their teacher told them they should never write
sentences that begin with conjunctions. Yet, they have
seen sentences beginning with conjunctions in newspapers
and books.
So, should you or shouldn’t you? Before we answer the
question, here are some important definitions.
But and and come from a group of words called
coordinating conjunctions. These words connect two or
more structures.
Consider this example:
I disapproved of his study habits, and I told him so.
This example sentence has two independent clauses. An
independent clause is a group of words that could make a
complete sentence.
Let's study the sentence closely.
The sentence has a subject, I, and a predicate,
disapproved of his study habits. The second part of the
sentence, I told him so, also has a subject, I, and a
predicate, told him so.
What about but? Here is an example:
She claimed to be the best student in her class, but I
suspect she's joking.
Once again, this sentence has two independent clauses
joined by a conjunction.
The important point, writes English grammar expert
Martha Kolln, is that coordinating conjunctions connect
structures as equals. They show that structures or ideas
have an equal weight or importance in the sentence.
There is a difference, however. And shows that the
structures go together; but shows that the structures
contrast.
Conjunctions can be used with a variety of punctuations,
notes Max Morenberg, an English grammar expert. They can
even connect two or more sentences.
Using conjunctions to connect sentences can show how
ideas relate to one another across sentences. The use of
conjunctions can also give a certain flow - or
abruptness - to a writer's sentences.
Conjunctions and Style
Let's look at famous examples from literature.
Novelist Vladimir Nabokov is famous for the beautiful
way he uses language. Most critics say his 1955 book,
Lolita, is a classic.
If you read the book, you will notice that Nabokov
sometimes starts sentences with conjunctions.
In one of the first lines of Lolita, Nabokov uses but to
start a sentence:
"She was Dolly at school. She was Dolores on the dotted
line. But in my arms she was always Lolita.”
In this example, Nabokov creates a pattern in the first
two sentences. Then, he breaks the pattern by using a
different sentence structure.
The word but helps to show a contrast between ideas, and
it also helps to create a mix of sentence styles.
Nabokov's use of but at the beginning of the sentence
lends a poetic quality. The word adds interest and
drama.
Nabokov also uses "and" to begin
a sentence
Nabokov used and at the beginning of a sentence, too.
At the end of Lolita, the lead character Humbert Humbert
is writing a goodbye to Lolita that he knows she will
never read.
In the last paragraph, and begins several sentences. The
usage gives the reader the idea that each sentence holds
equal importance. It also gives the reader the feeling
that Humbert is writing the thoughts as quickly as they
enter his mind.
Consider the last two sentences of Lolita:
"I am thinking of aurochs and angels, the secret of
durable pigments, prophetic sonnets, the refuge of art.
And this is the only immortality you and I may share, my
Lolita.
Should you use conjunctions at
the beginning of a sentence?
You might think that you should begin writing sentences
that begin with conjunctions. Nabokov did it! So did
other famous writers, such as Jane Austen and Mark
Twain.
We suggest that you be careful about using conjunctions
at the beginning of sentences.
Teachers have good reasons for repeating this rule.
First, students often use conjunctions incorrectly. This
can confuse the reader.
Second, many students use conjunctions too often. This
creates a repetitive writing style. Remember: you should
use many different sentence structures when you are
writing.
Think of Nabokov's writing – he used conjunctions to
give style to his writing. He did not begin every
sentence in the same way!
What can you do?
We started this report with a question: can you begin a
sentence with a conjunction?
The answer is yes.
Should you begin a sentence or a paragraph with a
conjunction?
That answer depends on your writing ability.
The next time you are reading the news or a book, try to
look for examples of but or and at the beginning of a
sentence. Ask yourself why the writer formed the
sentence that way. Does the choice make stylistic sense?
The process of mastering conjunctions can be difficult
and lengthy.
But you will make progress -- with time. And we will be
here to help!
I'm John Russell.
And I'm Pete Musto.
John Russell wrote this story for Learning English. Caty
Weaver was the editor. |
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Words in This Story |
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conjunction – n.
grammar a word that joins together sentences,
clauses, phrases, or words
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coordinating conjunction –
n. a conjunction (such
as and, or, or but) that joins together words,
phrases, or clauses of equal importance
- clause
– n. grammar a part of
a sentence that has its own subject and verb
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controversial – adj.
relating to or causing much discussion,
disagreement, or argument
- contrast
– n. something that is
different from another thing — + to
- aurochs
– n. large, black
European wild ox, extinct since 1627
- pigment
– n. a substance that
gives color to something else
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immortality – n.
the quality or state of someone or something that
will never die or be forgotten
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repetitive – n.
happening again and again: repeated many times
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