Can you begin sentences with because

Firstly , has it ever been wrong to begin a sentence with and or but? No, it has not. We have been breaking this rule all the way from the 9th century Old English Chronicle through the current day. Many translations of the Bible are filled with sentence-initial ands and buts , and they even may be found in some of our more beloved—and prescriptive—usage guides. But since writing is communication, clarity can only be a virtue. And although there is no substitute for merit in writing, clarity comes closest to being one.

White, The Elements of Style , While it makes sense to avoid an enormous pile of independent clauses in one's writing, it seems unlikely that trying to change the way people naturally use the language will solve this problem. There are times when it would be ill-advised to begin a sentence with and or but , and there are times when it works just fine.

If you are one of those people who prefers to avoid people who begin their sentences with these words, and if you would like to further curtail your sentence-initial word choices, there have been a large number of other words that we have previously been told not to use in that position.

Here is a smattering:. Do not begin a sentence with however or a similar unimportant word. Or never begins a sentence, paragraph, or chapter. Never begin a sentence—or a clause—with also. Here is another way that however is used at the front of a sentence: However long I work here, I will want this office. Search for:. Praise from Clients I learned more helpful tips than in any other writing course in the past 40 years.

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Submit your comment only once, please. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. Can you start a sentence with because? Yes, of course, you can. There is a simple way to check that your grammar is correct when you use the word because. Just ask yourself if what you wrote is a complete sentence or a sentence fragment. In This Article Hide. What is because? Indicating reason with because. How to start a sentence with because. More ways to use because to start a sentence.

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