Tuesday, October 27, 2009
CPW: Grammar Grater Episode 71: What's Your Function, Again?
Listen to the podcast entitled "Grammar Grater Episode 71: What's Your Function, Again?" Recall a time when your teacher told you never to start a sentence with and or but. Briefly describe the situation. Do you believe your teacher simply did not understand the rule? (Remember, teachers aren't perfect and don't know everything.) Or did your teacher have another reason for teaching you this rule? Make a connection with Luke Taylor's podcast in your argument.
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I have been told my many of my previous teachers that using AND or BUT as a beginning of a sentence is a big no-no. and i had always though they were right. although i find that in some of the best written passages that i have read in my opinion use AND or BUT as sentence starters..
ReplyDeleteI agree with the person above me. When we were younger, Coordinating conjunctions are tought to never start a sentence. BUT, now it is said to be okay every once in a while. I don't think they should be overused.
ReplyDeleteI think its too confusing when someone trys to use coordinating conjuctions to begin a sentence. All writing should be clear and organized. There are so many ways to begin a sentence without a coordinating conjunction,
ReplyDeletethey are never needed to start a sentence.
Michael T.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Rachelle C, I do not like to use And or Buts at the biggening of sentences. Through out my high school life all my teachers have told me not to use But or And to start a sentenece.
I agree with both Anonymous and with Rachel C.. I was also told that as writers should not use AND or BUT to start a sentence. But there are some circumstances when it is acceptable.
ReplyDeleteYes, i have been told this lots of times, but every once in awhile i catch myself. Ther's just some times that it's so hard, because it sounds so good at the beggining, but you can't.
ReplyDeleteI agree with anonymous to some degree. Some of the best works of literature use And and But. I believe every rule of literature should and will be broken. But only if it is done in a fashion that betters literature. The reason most High School students and the reason our teachers have told us not to use those two words at the beginning of a sentence because, when faced with the facts, most high school students are not talented writers destined to change the course of literature. Given this rule in the 7th grade I would probably have butured my own work by overuse of And or But.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ainesley J. I don't like starting my sentences with AND or BUT. There are more colorful words that can be used. My teacher taught me that at certain times using a coordinating conjunction was okay. She also said that starting with a coordinating conjunction may take away from having a good strong sentence.
ReplyDeleteSince i was little, all of my teachers have said that using And or But was not a proper way of starting a sentence. I think that sometimes it is the only way to start a sentence, but it should not be overused.
ReplyDeleteTypically, teachers have taught this rule when students are in younger grades. In middle and elementary school most kids cannot fully understand the rule or when to use "and" or "but" correctly at the beginning of a sentence. There may be a time or place to start a sentence with these coordinating conjunctions, but most of the time it is safer to use other words.
ReplyDeleteI do recall the days when teachers told their students not to start a sentence with and or but. Teachers tell this to young writers because often times they will try and start sentences with and or but and it will be a fragment. They aren't sure how to use the words for emphasis and are unable to make the sentence a complete one.
ReplyDeleteI, personally, think that there should not be a limit on writing and that using and or but at the begining of a sentence is acceptable.
I do not think there is anything wrong with using AND or BUT to start a sentence as long as the writer does not overuse it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ainesley J. We have been taught that we cannot use and or but to start a sentence, so when those words are used it is confusing and hard to know if the sentence is correct.
ReplyDeleteAinsely J...
ReplyDeleteI do not prefer using "and" or "but" either, and usually instead of making a new sentence you can use a semicolon or comma to finish your thought. It gets confusing when people use them incorrectly, and in some cases does not make sense.
Taylore C.-
ReplyDeleteYes, if the student is unable to use the word effectively then it may take away from having a string sentence, but if the writer has purpose being why they use the words they do then it can actually make their writing more complex and interesting... yeah?
I agree with Taylore C. students should not use And or But to begin a sentence. It is common sence not to start with And or But; teachers have always told me using a coordinating conjunction will weaken my essay, so i never do it.
ReplyDeleteHillary P and Brian H.: you guys are right.
ReplyDeleteI think anyone can do whatever they want in their writing--as long as whatever they are writing makes sense and is clear.
Either I wasn't listening or my teachers never said that I should't use these words at the beggining of a sentence. I have always just modified a sentence until it sounded right. I don't really pay much attention to rules in grammar which is probably why I don't pass many of my CIMs. It's not that I don't understand them, it's just that it makes the sentence sound weird. Most of the time, if I check everything with grammar rules, my paper soudns ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteI personaly dont like statring a sentence with and or But. There are more interesting words to use. Sometimes it's hard not to use a coordinating conjuction, but i feel it makes your paper sound better if you dont use them.
ReplyDeleteI think that in some cases it is alright to start a sentence with and, but, or, so, yet, etc. In most cases the "function" can be taken out but sometimes it adds to the sentence (i.e. the second sentence in the episode.) Using BUT to start the sentence makes sense to me so I, as a writer, would keep the BUT at the begining of that sentence. As long as the "function" is not over used in the paper then, I think once in awhile it is okay to use and, but, or,so,yet, etc. at the begining of a sentence.
ReplyDeleteKatie, we were only supposed to put our last initials, not the whole last name.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ainesley J. I find it confusing when people start with a coordinating conjuction. Writing should flow and be clear.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in eighth grade, my english teacher, Mrs. Johnson, told me I could not begin a sentence I had written with and, because it was not allowed. I showed he an example in a book to justify that it must be allowed. She then changed her reason, saying that we (students in the class) were not allowed because she did not want to confuse us with the actual rule.
ReplyDeleteI agree with alot of the people above me.
ReplyDeletewhen I was younger I specifically remember the teachers saying to NEVER start a sentence with And or But then again I see the point of not needing to start a sentence with them because there are lots of other ways to start one.
Samantha M
Throughout my student career, teachers told me to never ever use coordinating conjunctions to begin a sentence. I personally feel that starting sentences with "and", "but" or "yet" disrupts the flow the essay, and I totally agree with Ashley B. Writing should flow and be clear. However, sometimes when you start using more than two coordinating conjunctions within the sentence it tends to make sentence too wordy and tend to drag on. In that case, it would be okay to start the sentence with "and" or "but" or "yet". It is just like this sentence described in the podcast:
ReplyDelete"Daisy was my second cousin, once removed, and I'd known Tom in college. And just after the war, I spent two days with them in Chicago."
You could change the last sentence to be "Just after the war, I spent two days with them in Chicago." But if it is used as part of your writing style, it can work. As long as it used sparingly, it is fine to start your sentences with coordinating conjunctions.
In middle school, my teachers commonly taught me to avoid the use of starting conjunctions in a sentence. I think essays should be formal in all aspects, so therefore starting conjunctions should be avoided when trying to begin a sentence. Doing this can also eliminate all confusion of what the sentence is trying to tell, which was why the teacher told me to follow the rule. However, if you can not think of way to avoid the starting conjunction, then you are forced to use it.
ReplyDeleteWhen my teacher told me not to use "and", or "but" to start a sentence was in 7th grade. She said that it didn't help the paper's flow, and it made the paper sound choppy. Every since then, I have tried to avoid using them in my papers.
ReplyDeleteIn my past years as a student, i have been told to not use And or But at the beginning ofthe sentence. Wicth i think my teachers are right. Because as you read a paper and come up with does words the sentence sometimes dosen't work that well.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ainsley for the most part. Sentences should not start with And or But. There are ways to restructure sentences. Although, I think its fine in dialogue.
ReplyDeleteI agree with brian H.
ReplyDeleteI think that if we had the opportunity to use those conjunctions to start our sentence we probably wouldn't be as talented writers as we are today. Sometimes when I want to start with "But" it's hard not to because it sounds right to use it when I'm referring back to my sentence I just wrote.
(Sorry, i didnt have my blog name when i wrote this) I have been told my many of my previous teachers that using AND or BUT as a beginning of a sentence is a big no-no. and i had always though they were right. although i find that in some of the best written passages that i have read in my opinion use AND or BUT as sentence starters..
ReplyDeleteAinsley makes a good point. even though there are hundreds of ways top start a sentence without AND or BUT, sometimes their use in a sentence is just needed to continue a flow from a previous sentence. I may not have read a lot of books in my time, but i still notice the professionals breaking the rules that our teachers taught us when we were in grade school. And who doesn't want to write like a pro?
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ainsely J.. They are very confusing to start a sentence with, and there are so many other things you could use instead.
ReplyDeleteI remember in elementary school my teachers would always tell me that you cannot start a sentence with and or but. I understood this because it did not sound proper to start a sentence with and or but. I may have understood this but I did not like it. I liked starting my sentences with and or but every once in a while. To me it sounded nice to a variation through out my essays, stories, etc. I do not really know if my teachers understood this rule or not. I think that they were just trying to let us know as children we should not start sentences with and or but. Maybe to them it did not sound like proper english so that's how they taught us.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Sam. I was always taught you can never start a sentence with a coordinating conjunction. I did not know it is fine to begin a sentence with and, or but. This has informed me of something that I can use in my writing.
ReplyDeleteThroughout elementary school, I was always taught by my teachers to NOT use and or but at the beginning of a sentence. I suppose it made sense because and or but were supposed to be used to connect two sentences. Now, I have noticed that it doesn't necessarily have to be that way all the time. It gives me a little more variety with my sentences.
ReplyDeleteI do agree with Rachelle C; and or but, although they may be used to start sentences, should be used sparingly. Overusing the words makes sentences sound repetitive and boring.
ReplyDeleteMy past english teachers have always told me not to start a sentence with And or But. I remember reading books and noticing a sentence start with an And or But and it would confuse me because it contradicted what my teacher had told the class. I choose not to start my sentences with those two words however because there are plenty of words you can choose from
ReplyDeleteIn my educational career, i have been told in most of my english clases that "and", "but", "so", ect, are not allowed to begin a sentence. Although i have to say that i sometimes do use these words in my papers. Like the guy said it can be used to explain the previous sentence and only if it is not over used.
ReplyDeleteI think teachers taught us not to start our sentences with coordinating conjunctions because those sentences are usually incomplete sentences. And they were just trying to get us to avoid making that mistake. I think its okay to start a sentence with a coordinating conjunction as long as the writer knows what they're doing when doing so.
ReplyDeleteI for one think that using and, but, or, so, yet, etc. is alright ,to a certain degree, when starting a sentence. Some situations call for it at the beginning of a sentence, that is as long as the function of the sentence does not change. Yet the writer can also rearrange the sentence so that and, but, or, so, yet, etc. can be deleted from the sentence. Writing is a confusing process at times, but the rewards you recieve in learning that process last you for the rest of your life.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Daniel R. and Rachelle C. And and But seem acceptable at the beginning of a sentence as long as it is not overused. I don't get why people make a big deal about them being used like that. If it makes sense in the sentence, why make a big deal out of it.
ReplyDeleteWhen discussing literature and the justifiable use of "And" or "But" as sentence starters, maybe one should at least first consider using correct grammar while typing their opinion. #Idiots.
ReplyDelete