So…can we start a sentence with and?

So…can we start a sentence with and?  

So the heart of the ban on starting a sentence with ‘and’ or ‘but’ seems to lie in the fact that they are coordinating rather than subordinating conjunctions, and as such are typically used to link elements of equal status within a sentence. The argument against using ‘and’ or ‘but’ to introduce a sentence is that such a sentence expresses an incomplete thought (or ‘fragment’) and is therefore incorrect.

However, this is a stylistic preference rather than a grammatical ‘rule’. If your teachers or your organization are inflexible about this issue, then you should respect their opinion, but ultimately, it’s just a point of view and you’re not being ungrammatical. If you want to defend your position, you can say that it’s particularly useful to start a sentence with these conjunctions if you’re aiming to create a dramatic or forceful effect. As the following examples show, the introductory conjunction gives more weight to the thought expressed in the sentence (a comma would be far less emphatic):

It’s a pretty smart and progressive budget. But do you think those changes go far enough?

Some people are calling this film the worst movie ever. And who are we to argue?

Putting ‘but’ or ‘and’ at the start of a sentence is also an effective way of showing surprise:

Dworkin’s answer is no. But why not?

Who would have thought it? And is it really true?