The Chicago Manual of Style says:
“There is a widespread belief—one with no historical or grammatical foundation—that it is an error to begin a sentence with a conjunction such as “and,” “but,” or “so.” In fact, a substantial percentage (often as many as 10 percent) of the sentences in first-rate writing begin with conjunctions. It has been so for centuries, and even the most conservative grammarians have followed this practice.”
Starting sentences with these words is a technique commonly used by journalists, presenters and speech writers to create a dramatic effect. It’s also commonly used in informal communications between colleagues at work.
“But” (no comma) has the effect of stopping the reader to make them pay attention. So does “However”. But to make for smoother reading, you can place “however” within the sentence instead. For example: “They did, however, eventually find a solution…”.
Starting with formal words like “In addition”, “However” or “Nevertheless” is more academic or formal report-writing style.
So it all depends on context and audience. Here are some examples from The New York Times:
When it’s time to get hearing aids, don’t hesitate. … And don’t just put them in when you go out, Dr. Bevins added.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/03/well/mind/brain-health-simple-tips.html
Whether the protection can last beyond seven years can only be determined with further research. But with few currently effective treatments or preventions, Dr. Harrison said, shingles vaccines appear to have “some of the strongest potential protective effects against dementia that we know of that are potentially usable in practice.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/02/health/shingles-vaccine-dementia.html
But retirement can also be an opportunity for improving cognitive and mental health, with newfound time to socialize and take on hobbies. And even if you have started to experience some decline, there’s strong evidence that your brain can bounce back from periods of inactivity …
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/26/well/mind/retirement-brain-mental-health-tips.html
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Author: Carol Waites
Presentation/editing by Christina O’Shaughnessy
https://worldwidewriting.org/
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Carol Waites (PhD)
Email: carolswritingtips@gmail.com
For more writing tips, consult my website:
https://carolswritingtips.com/writingtips/
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