Welcome to the Grammar Minute, where we’re saving the English language sixty seconds at a time! I’m Lauren Smyth, and someone told me recently that in my writing, I start a lot of sentences with “and.” Which brings up the question: Is this grammatically acceptable, and if so, what does it accomplish?
First of all, yes, it’s grammatically acceptable to start a sentence with a conjunction, such as “and” or “but.” This is a fairly new rule and a relaxation of older standards to keep up with standard spoken English and to avoid awkwardly long sentences that really should be broken up by a period.
I write mostly fiction. Starting several consecutive sentences with “and” rather than using commas between the clauses conveys a very specific pace. In my mind, it’s almost like short, clipped sentences spoken by a character who’s out of breath. This kind of choppiness is appropriate for fiction but typically not for formal writing or nonfiction. When in doubt, read your sentences aloud to see how they flow.
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