Yes. Starting a sentence with and or but is grammatically correct, and published academic writing does it regularly. The idea that it’s forbidden is a classroom rule of thumb, not a rule of English grammar.
That doesn’t settle every case. Whether it’s a good choice in a particular paper depends on the formality you need, how often you do it, and sometimes on the preferences of the person marking or reviewing your work. And But is generally more accepted than And in formal writing.
Why it isn’t a grammar error
And and but are coordinating conjunctions. They show how one idea relates to another, and nothing in English grammar requires both ideas to be in the same sentence. This is a complete, correct sentence:
The survey had a high response rate. But the sample came from a single university.
The second sentence has a subject (the sample) and a verb (came). The opening But works the same way However would: it shows how this sentence connects to the one before it.
A common worry is that a conjunction at the start creates a fragment. That applies to subordinating conjunctions such as because, although, and since. “Because the sample was small.” is a fragment because it depends on a main clause that isn’t there. “But the sample was small.” is not a fragment.
The major usage references agree on this point. The Chicago Manual of Style describes the belief that sentences can’t begin with a conjunction as having no historical or grammatical foundation. Fowler’s and Garner’s usage guides take the same view.
Where the “rule” came from
English writers have started sentences with and and but for over a thousand years. The objection appears to have grown in nineteenth-century schoolrooms, where teachers tried to stop children from writing strings like “And then… And then… And then…” The advice made sense for beginners. The problem is that many people still treat it as a law of grammar.
What published academic writing actually does
Research on real academic prose shows that sentence-initial conjunctions are common. They appear in published research articles across the humanities, social sciences, and some quantitative fields, and studies suggest they have become more frequent over recent decades. Editorials in leading science journals use them too.
They are not equally common everywhere, though. Their frequency varies by field, and they appear more often in argumentative or discussion-based writing than in, say, the methods section of a lab report.
Why the advice you hear conflicts
You’ll find respected sources that seem to disagree:
- Usage authorities such as Chicago say the prohibition has no grammatical basis. They also recommend using opening conjunctions only when they make the writing clearer.
- Some academic writing guides accept an opening But in argumentative work but advise against an opening And. They usually recommend In addition or Furthermore instead.
- Some instructors and editors still correct both, especially in dissertations, theses, and formal applications.
These positions are less contradictory than they look. The first is about correctness. The second and third are about register and audience. It’s correct in grammar and common in published scholarship, but some readers will still see it as informal.
| Question | Answer |
| Is it grammatically correct? | Yes. |
| Does it appear in published academic writing? | Yes, across many disciplines. |
| Is But accepted in formal prose? | Widely, though not by every reader. |
| Is And accepted in formal prose? | Less consistently. It can read as more conversational. |
| Can a course or journal forbid it? | Yes. House rules and instructor preferences can be stricter than general usage. |
When it works well
An opening conjunction is most useful when you want the link between two sentences to stand out.
For a sharp contrast:
Earlier models predicted a steady decline in enrolment. But the data from 2019 onward show the opposite trend.
But is shorter and more direct than However, so the reversal lands clearly.
For an addition that deserves emphasis:
The method is inexpensive and easy to replicate. And it produces results comparable to far costlier approaches.
Putting the second claim in its own sentence gives it more weight. If you joined it with a comma, it would read as a minor detail.
Common mistakes
Using but when there’s no real contrast. But signals that something runs against what came before. If nothing does, the reader expects a contrast that never arrives:
✗ Participants completed the questionnaire. But they were then interviewed individually.
Nothing contrasts here. Try swapping in and. If and works, but is the wrong word. Here the sentence probably needs then or no connector at all.
Replacing But with However and creating a comma splice. However is an adverb, not a conjunction, so it cannot join two sentences with just a comma:
✗ The results were promising, however the sample was small.
✓ The results were promising; however, the sample was small.
✓ The results were promising. However, the sample was small.
✓ The results were promising, but the sample was small.
Adding a comma after the conjunction by default. “But, the results were inconclusive” adds a pause you don’t need. Use a comma only when an interrupting phrase follows:
But, as the second experiment showed, the effect disappeared under controlled conditions.
Using it as a habit. When several sentences in a paragraph start with And or But, each one loses its force, and the writing starts to sound like speech.
Alternatives when you want them
Sometimes a more specific connector says more than but or and:
- Concession: Nevertheless, Even so
- Contrast: However, Yet
- An addition that builds the argument: Moreover, Furthermore, In addition
- Consequence: Therefore, As a result
Sometimes the better fix is just to join the sentences:
The results were significant, but the effect size was small.
These alternatives aren’t more correct. They’re useful when they make your reasoning clearer or when your reader expects a more formal register.
Practical guidance
- Check your specific requirements first. If your instructor, department, or target journal has a stated preference, follow it.
- Look at papers in your field. Notice how often published authors in your discipline start sentences with these words, and in which sections.
- Save it for emphasis. One well-placed But in a section can be effective; one in every paragraph starts to look careless.
- Be more cautious with And than with But. An opening But is more widely accepted in formal writing.
- If your marker dislikes it, avoid it for that assignment. That’s a matter of audience, not proof that you were wrong.
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