Can you begin a sentence with “but”? [on hold]

Is it grammatically possible to begin a sentence with "but" ?

asked Dec 18 at 20:48

Vivian

112

put on hold as off-topic by tchrist♦ Dec 18 at 21:49

This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:

"Please include the research you’ve done, or consider if your question suits our English Language Learners site better. Questions that can be answered using commonly-available references are off-topic." – tchrist

If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.

2

"But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?"
– user888379
Dec 18 at 20:57

1

" 'Tis but a wisp of winter moons, summoned softly by the stars."
– A Lambent Eye
Dec 18 at 21:05

Top result on Google: quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/…
– michael.hor257k
Dec 18 at 21:19

But me no buts.
– Centaurus
Dec 18 at 21:25

But of course you can! (Related question here.)
– J.R.
Dec 18 at 21:45

add a comment |

Is it grammatically possible to begin a sentence with "but" ?

asked Dec 18 at 20:48

Vivian

112

put on hold as off-topic by tchrist♦ Dec 18 at 21:49

This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:

"Please include the research you’ve done, or consider if your question suits our English Language Learners site better. Questions that can be answered using commonly-available references are off-topic." – tchrist

If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.

2

"But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?"
– user888379
Dec 18 at 20:57

1

" 'Tis but a wisp of winter moons, summoned softly by the stars."
– A Lambent Eye
Dec 18 at 21:05

Top result on Google: quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/…
– michael.hor257k
Dec 18 at 21:19

But me no buts.
– Centaurus
Dec 18 at 21:25

But of course you can! (Related question here.)
– J.R.
Dec 18 at 21:45

add a comment |

Is it grammatically possible to begin a sentence with "but" ?

asked Dec 18 at 20:48

Vivian

112

Is it grammatically possible to begin a sentence with "but" ?

meaning grammar word-usage

asked Dec 18 at 20:48

Vivian

112

asked Dec 18 at 20:48

Vivian

112

asked Dec 18 at 20:48

Vivian

112

asked Dec 18 at 20:48

Vivian

112

asked Dec 18 at 20:48

Vivian

112

put on hold as off-topic by tchrist♦ Dec 18 at 21:49

This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:

"Please include the research you’ve done, or consider if your question suits our English Language Learners site better. Questions that can be answered using commonly-available references are off-topic." – tchrist

If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.

put on hold as off-topic by tchrist♦ Dec 18 at 21:49

This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:

"Please include the research you’ve done, or consider if your question suits our English Language Learners site better. Questions that can be answered using commonly-available references are off-topic." – tchrist

If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.

2

"But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?"
– user888379
Dec 18 at 20:57

1

" 'Tis but a wisp of winter moons, summoned softly by the stars."
– A Lambent Eye
Dec 18 at 21:05

Top result on Google: quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/…
– michael.hor257k
Dec 18 at 21:19

But me no buts.
– Centaurus
Dec 18 at 21:25

But of course you can! (Related question here.)
– J.R.
Dec 18 at 21:45

add a comment |

2

"But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?"
– user888379
Dec 18 at 20:57

1

" 'Tis but a wisp of winter moons, summoned softly by the stars."
– A Lambent Eye
Dec 18 at 21:05

Top result on Google: quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/…
– michael.hor257k
Dec 18 at 21:19

But me no buts.
– Centaurus
Dec 18 at 21:25

But of course you can! (Related question here.)
– J.R.
Dec 18 at 21:45

"But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?"
– user888379
Dec 18 at 20:57

" 'Tis but a wisp of winter moons, summoned softly by the stars."
– A Lambent Eye
Dec 18 at 21:05

Top result on Google: quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/…
– michael.hor257k
Dec 18 at 21:19

But me no buts.
– Centaurus
Dec 18 at 21:25

But of course you can! (Related question here.)
– J.R.
Dec 18 at 21:45

add a comment |

1 Answer
1

active

oldest

votes

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, the following case (but it is not the only valid case) may apply

But for + reason

But for is used to introduce the reason why something didn’t happen:

But for the traffic, I would have been here an hour ago. (The traffic was very heavy – if it weren’t for the traffic, I’d have been here an hour ago.)

They would have been badly injured but for the fact that they were wearing seat belts. (They were wearing seat belts – if it weren’t for the fact that they were wearing seat belts, they would have been badly injured.)

edited Dec 18 at 22:18

answered Dec 18 at 21:11

A Lambent Eye

75317

New contributor

1

But wait, there are many more cases than that one that are "allowed" ...
– Robusto
Dec 18 at 21:15

But I could find no sources for other possibilities so far.
– A Lambent Eye
Dec 18 at 21:17

The point is, you don't really need a source to validate every utterance. The best stylists in English (cf. Shakespeare, above) have begun sentences with conjunctions since, well, there was an English language.
– Robusto
Dec 18 at 21:22

1

Saying "the following case is allowed" is tantamount to saying "except for this one case, all other cases are not allowed." This makes your statement prescriptive, and on this site we tend to plump more for freedom of expression.
– Robusto
Dec 18 at 21:43

1

Use the case you listed as an example of the usage, just make sure you're not implying it's the only one. And welcome to EL&U. ^_^
– Robusto
Dec 18 at 22:09

|
show 2 more comments

1 Answer
1

active

oldest

votes

1 Answer
1

active

oldest

votes

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, the following case (but it is not the only valid case) may apply

But for + reason

But for is used to introduce the reason why something didn’t happen:

But for the traffic, I would have been here an hour ago. (The traffic was very heavy – if it weren’t for the traffic, I’d have been here an hour ago.)

They would have been badly injured but for the fact that they were wearing seat belts. (They were wearing seat belts – if it weren’t for the fact that they were wearing seat belts, they would have been badly injured.)

edited Dec 18 at 22:18

answered Dec 18 at 21:11

A Lambent Eye

75317

New contributor

1

But wait, there are many more cases than that one that are "allowed" ...
– Robusto
Dec 18 at 21:15

But I could find no sources for other possibilities so far.
– A Lambent Eye
Dec 18 at 21:17

The point is, you don't really need a source to validate every utterance. The best stylists in English (cf. Shakespeare, above) have begun sentences with conjunctions since, well, there was an English language.
– Robusto
Dec 18 at 21:22

1

Saying "the following case is allowed" is tantamount to saying "except for this one case, all other cases are not allowed." This makes your statement prescriptive, and on this site we tend to plump more for freedom of expression.
– Robusto
Dec 18 at 21:43

1

Use the case you listed as an example of the usage, just make sure you're not implying it's the only one. And welcome to EL&U. ^_^
– Robusto
Dec 18 at 22:09

|
show 2 more comments

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, the following case (but it is not the only valid case) may apply

But for + reason

But for is used to introduce the reason why something didn’t happen:

But for the traffic, I would have been here an hour ago. (The traffic was very heavy – if it weren’t for the traffic, I’d have been here an hour ago.)

They would have been badly injured but for the fact that they were wearing seat belts. (They were wearing seat belts – if it weren’t for the fact that they were wearing seat belts, they would have been badly injured.)

edited Dec 18 at 22:18

answered Dec 18 at 21:11

A Lambent Eye

75317

New contributor

1

But wait, there are many more cases than that one that are "allowed" ...
– Robusto
Dec 18 at 21:15

But I could find no sources for other possibilities so far.
– A Lambent Eye
Dec 18 at 21:17

The point is, you don't really need a source to validate every utterance. The best stylists in English (cf. Shakespeare, above) have begun sentences with conjunctions since, well, there was an English language.
– Robusto
Dec 18 at 21:22

1

Saying "the following case is allowed" is tantamount to saying "except for this one case, all other cases are not allowed." This makes your statement prescriptive, and on this site we tend to plump more for freedom of expression.
– Robusto
Dec 18 at 21:43

1

Use the case you listed as an example of the usage, just make sure you're not implying it's the only one. And welcome to EL&U. ^_^
– Robusto
Dec 18 at 22:09

|
show 2 more comments

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, the following case (but it is not the only valid case) may apply

But for + reason

But for is used to introduce the reason why something didn’t happen:

But for the traffic, I would have been here an hour ago. (The traffic was very heavy – if it weren’t for the traffic, I’d have been here an hour ago.)

They would have been badly injured but for the fact that they were wearing seat belts. (They were wearing seat belts – if it weren’t for the fact that they were wearing seat belts, they would have been badly injured.)

edited Dec 18 at 22:18

answered Dec 18 at 21:11

A Lambent Eye

75317

New contributor

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, the following case (but it is not the only valid case) may apply

But for + reason

But for is used to introduce the reason why something didn’t happen:

But for the traffic, I would have been here an hour ago. (The traffic was very heavy – if it weren’t for the traffic, I’d have been here an hour ago.)

They would have been badly injured but for the fact that they were wearing seat belts. (They were wearing seat belts – if it weren’t for the fact that they were wearing seat belts, they would have been badly injured.)

edited Dec 18 at 22:18

answered Dec 18 at 21:11

A Lambent Eye

75317

New contributor

edited Dec 18 at 22:18

answered Dec 18 at 21:11

A Lambent Eye

75317

New contributor

answered Dec 18 at 21:11

A Lambent Eye

75317

answered Dec 18 at 21:11

A Lambent Eye

75317

New contributor

A Lambent Eye is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

1

But wait, there are many more cases than that one that are "allowed" ...
– Robusto
Dec 18 at 21:15

But I could find no sources for other possibilities so far.
– A Lambent Eye
Dec 18 at 21:17

The point is, you don't really need a source to validate every utterance. The best stylists in English (cf. Shakespeare, above) have begun sentences with conjunctions since, well, there was an English language.
– Robusto
Dec 18 at 21:22

1

Saying "the following case is allowed" is tantamount to saying "except for this one case, all other cases are not allowed." This makes your statement prescriptive, and on this site we tend to plump more for freedom of expression.
– Robusto
Dec 18 at 21:43

1

Use the case you listed as an example of the usage, just make sure you're not implying it's the only one. And welcome to EL&U. ^_^
– Robusto
Dec 18 at 22:09

|
show 2 more comments

1

But wait, there are many more cases than that one that are "allowed" ...
– Robusto
Dec 18 at 21:15

But I could find no sources for other possibilities so far.
– A Lambent Eye
Dec 18 at 21:17

The point is, you don't really need a source to validate every utterance. The best stylists in English (cf. Shakespeare, above) have begun sentences with conjunctions since, well, there was an English language.
– Robusto
Dec 18 at 21:22

1

Saying "the following case is allowed" is tantamount to saying "except for this one case, all other cases are not allowed." This makes your statement prescriptive, and on this site we tend to plump more for freedom of expression.
– Robusto
Dec 18 at 21:43

1

Use the case you listed as an example of the usage, just make sure you're not implying it's the only one. And welcome to EL&U. ^_^
– Robusto
Dec 18 at 22:09

But wait, there are many more cases than that one that are "allowed" ...
– Robusto
Dec 18 at 21:15

But I could find no sources for other possibilities so far.
– A Lambent Eye
Dec 18 at 21:17

The point is, you don't really need a source to validate every utterance. The best stylists in English (cf. Shakespeare, above) have begun sentences with conjunctions since, well, there was an English language.
– Robusto
Dec 18 at 21:22

Saying "the following case is allowed" is tantamount to saying "except for this one case, all other cases are not allowed." This makes your statement prescriptive, and on this site we tend to plump more for freedom of expression.
– Robusto
Dec 18 at 21:43

Use the case you listed as an example of the usage, just make sure you're not implying it's the only one. And welcome to EL&U. ^_^
– Robusto
Dec 18 at 22:09

|
show 2 more comments

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