Foundations Newsletter

Ouch!

When I was a kid and first starting to write, my old teacher – Miss Asling –  used to whack  me with a ruler whenever I tried to use my left hand. To this day, I can remember switching the pen back to my left hand the moment her back was turned. And that was also when I first started to question some of the other ‘rules’ she tried to hoodwink us with.

I will happily concede that there are some grammar rules that we are obliged to follow. They help us to communicate clearly, and well. And it’s probably best to understand any ‘rule’ before we choose to break it. But that having been
said, there are many that are little more than stylistic conventions, that have been flouted by the best writers for centuries. Stephen Pinker has even described these rules as, ‘a secret handshake of the ruling class, designed to keep the masses in their place’. Personally, I think that there is a thin line between grammar snobbery and passive-aggressive trolling. And when did pedantry ever write interesting books?

The Rule

But before we start deconstructing it, let’s have a quick look at this rule: NEVER BEGIN A SENTENCE WITH A CONJUNCTION. Or so they say! Conjunctions are divided into two categories: cooordinating and subordinate. The former connect sentence elements of equal importance, while the latter connect hose that are unequal. The meaning of the  subordinate clause is dependent on the main clause, and without it, might be considered merely a ‘fragment’. It is this connective quality that leads some to believe that conjunctions cannot be placed at the beginning of the sentence. And respectfully, I disagree.

The Gotcha Gang

Putting Miss Asling and her fellow grammar mavens aside, I would suggest that starting a sentence with a conjunction is always OK. And often creates a dramatic and forceful effect in any narrative, or even in the development of an argument, or opinion. It is merely one of many stylistic options, that any informed and creative writer might employ. And I defy anyone to find authoritative sources to support this ‘rule’. I know that Fowler, Garner, Pinker, Crystal, Swan, Merriam-Webster and Oxford all share my view, so the Gotcha Gang might have to round us all up!

We’re in Good Company!

And for those who are biblically-minded, the King James Bible is jam-packed with such sentences. But don’t take my word for it. Try randomly reading any page you like and you’ll find no end of examples.

For those of a more secular bent, you might start with: Jane Austen (‘And even Mary could assure her family that she had no disinclination for it’), John Locke (‘But if a man sitting still has not the power …’), William Faulkner (‘But before the captain could answer …’), JFK (‘And let every other power know …), and Barack Obama (‘But the truth is, these steps …), Johnny Cash (‘Because you’re mine, I walk the line’).

But there’s more!

Anyone who objects to sentences beginning with conjunctions, should avoid them at all costs. And they should leave it at that. As I suggested earlier, it’s a just stylistic preference. But for those of us who don’t mind, we should feel free to blithely use them without fear or favour.