Some bits of advice are instilled in us from a very young age: Eat your vegetables, look both ways before crossing the street, and, of course, never begin a sentence with a conjunction. The latter comes to us directly from grammar class, but is it really a rule? Nope. In fact, it’s merely a suggestion. Starting sentences with a conjunction is perfectly OK in a grammatical sense, and it may even improve your writing.
But let’s go back to basics first. A conjunction is a word that connects two clauses of sentences. Subordinating conjunctions (“because,” “since,” “after,” etc.) link independent and dependent clauses. Correlative conjunctions (“either/or,” “neither/nor,” “such/that,” etc.) join together two words or phrases of equal importance. For example: “Either I’m going to eat this sandwich, or I’m going to eat at home.” People use both types of conjunctions to start sentences, and nobody bats an eye. The controversy usually arises with a third type: coordinating conjunctions.
Coordinating conjunctions link together two independent clauses, and can best be remembered with the acronym FANBOYS: For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, and So. Reputable grammar guides, including the Chicago Manual of Style and the Merriam-Webster Dictionary of English Usage, say it’s acceptable to begin sentences with coordinating conjunctions. The main reason so many people are opposed to this idea is that using these conjunctions as an initial word too often can lead to bad writing habits. For instance, stringing together multiple sentences that start with a conjunction can sound like you’re talking like a 7-year-old: Today, I went to the park. And then I ate lunch. And I saw a dog. But the dog ran away. And then he ran back again. So I smiled. And my lunch fell on the ground.
As a general rule of thumb, it’s best to avoid beginning your sentences with conjunctions as you’re developing your writing skills. But as you’re honing your voice and writing style, it’s fine to experiment a bit, as evidenced by some of history’s most iconic prose. Consider Lord of the Rings author J.R.R. Tolkien, who once wrote, “Yet the Lord of Gondor is not to be made the tool of other men’s purposes, however worthy.” Or read S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders, which contains the line, “I lie to myself all the time. But I never believe me.”
