Is it acceptable to start a sentence with ‘And’, ‘But’ or ‘So’?

At school, did your teachers ever tell you that a sentence couldn’t start with a conjunction such as ‘And’, ‘But’ or ‘So’?

While this is a good rule of thumb for children learning the basics of how sentences are typically constructed, there’s actually nothing wrong with starting a sentence with a conjunction. In fact, it can be a useful technique for adding dramatic pause to a piece of text.

That must be what Louisa May Alcott thought when she wrote the following passage in her novel Little Women:

‘“We can’t do much, but we can make our little sacrifices, and ought to do it gladly. But I’m afraid I don’t.” And Meg shook her head, as she thought regretfully of all the pretty things she wanted.’

So next time someone tells you that you can’t start a sentence with a conjunction, politely tell them that they are mistaken.

And that’s a fact.