Is it acceptable if I start a sentence with "but"? I read some sentences in an essay of a friend this morning. She wrote "I was born and raised in Ha Giang, which is a mountainous area, so since I was

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Is it acceptable if I start a sentence with "but"?

I read some sentences in an essay of a friend this morning. She wrote "I was born and raised in Ha Giang, which is a mountainous area, so since I was a child, I've thought of leaving for a big city But when I get older, I don't think about living in a big city anymore. I want to live in a peaceful countryside."

In my personal opinion, "but" is a conjunction that connects 2 clauses in a sentence.

For example:

<ul><li>I can't play the piano but I can play the guitar.</li></ul>

Or:

<ul><li>She doesn't care about anything but money.</li></ul>

In the case above, Instead of writing "But when I get older,.." , I would write "However when I get older,..." .

I am really not sure about my opinion, that's why I am here to have your help.

Thank you in advance ^^

4 jul. 2020 04:03

Opmerkingen · 5

I agree with Abdalá. But then again, what do I know?

4 juli 2020

It’s perfectly fine to start a sentence with a conjunction, and most grammar guides permit it. The belief that it’s not okay is a result of teachers making up their own rules. Instead of teaching when it’s acceptable to start a sentence with a conjunction, they taught an overgeneralized rule. It’s just lazy teaching. See here: <a href="https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/can-i-start-a-sentence-with-a-conjunction" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/can-i-start-a-sentence-with-a-conjunction</a>;

4 juli 2020

Thank you so much for your very clear explanation, Adam S.

You know what, whenver I saw people writing "but" at the begining of a sentence, I immediately told them to change it into "however". Then, there're still many people who continue using "but'' in that way, I start wondering myself if it is okay to use "but" like that...

I am still looking forward to knowing the opinions of other people on italki.com to have my own conclusion.

Thank you one more time, Adam.

4 juli 2020

This is an area where people have some different opinions. Some have been taught to never use but at the beginning of a sentence. But, when the author want to highlight the "but," it can be effective when used to start a sentence. "However" is generally more acceptable at the beginning, but since it is basically a synonym for "but," it arguably raises the same issue as "but," which is that, as you point out, it is a conjunction. That said, some might think that "however" when used at the start of a sentence is a bit awkward, but "but" is nice and crisp. This is sort of a case of some authors choosing to break the "rules" for more effective communication. The same can be said for starting a sentence with "and." It should be done sparingly no matter what, but it can be effective in some occasional instances, even though it is not really proper.

4 juli 2020