A List Of Things Thrown Five Minutes Ago

SPECIAL ALOTT5MA FRIDAY GRAMMAR RODEO "ADAM GETS TO QUOTE 'FINDING FORRESTER'" EDITION:  Via Marsha, Wichta Eagle columnist Lisa McClendon reviews what she calls nutty non-rules of grammar, some of which we've addressed before (splitting infinitives, ending sentences with prepositions) and some we haven't, including these two:

Don’t start a sentence with a conjunction. Raymond W. and Christie Z. both pointed this non-rule out in Twitter posts. And they’re right: it’s OK to start a sentence with a conjunction, just don’t do it with every sentence or it gets tedious.

Don’t begin a sentence with the word “it.” Although it can be a sign of bloated or less-direct writing, there’s no grammatical reason not to start a sentence with “it.” How could you rewrite Dickens? “The times were both best and worst”? This non-rule was shared by Casagrande, who wrote an interesting post about “the anticipatory it” here.

Let's focus on the former, because Oxford agrees:

You might have been taught that it’s not good English to start a sentence with a conjunction such as and or but. It’s not grammatically incorrect to do so, however, and many respected writers use conjunctions at the start of a sentence to create a dramatic or forceful effect. For example:

What are the government’s chances of winning in court? And what are the consequences?

Beginning a sentence with a conjunction can also be a useful way of conveying surprise:

And are you really going?
But didn’t she tell you?

It’s best not to overdo it, but there is no reason for completely avoiding the use of conjunctions at the start of sentences.

And from Finding Forrester, in which reclusive writer William Forrester learns a lesson of his own:

Forrester: Paragraph three starts...with a conjunction, "and." You should never start a sentence with a conjunction. 

Jamal: Sure you can. 

Forrester: No, it's a firm rule. 

Jamal: No, it was a firm rule. Sometimes using a conjunction at the start of a sentence makes it stand out. And that may be what the writer's trying to do. 

Forrester: And what is the risk? 

Jamal: Well the risk is doing it too much. It's a distraction. And it could give your piece a run-on feeling. But for the most part, the rule on using "and" or "but" at the start of a sentence is pretty shaky. Even though it's still taught by too many professors. Some of the best writers have ignored that rule for years, including you.

[Next week, we diagram the sentence "You're the man now, dawg!"]

Poll Results: You can start a sentence with a conjunction -- carefully (55%), yes (39%), avoid (4%).