Have you ever wondered whether you can start a sentence with because? You may have been taught in school that you can’t – but that’s not entirely true. In this post, we’ll discuss situations in which you can – and can’t – start a sentence with because, demonstrating with examples.
Because is a subordinating conjunction used to introduce a reason or cause in a sentence:
But can you start a sentence with because? The answer is yes – as long as you do so correctly. Since starting a sentence with because involves using a dependent clause, you need to ensure correct punctuation.
A dependent clause cannot stand alone as a complete sentence. Instead, it provides additional information and is connected to an independent clause to form a complete thought. When a sentence begins with a dependent clause, use a comma to separate it from the independent clause that follows. You need to do this when the dependent clause starts with because. For example:
You can also start a sentence with because if you’re answering a “why” question – as long as because is followed by a subject and predicate. For example:
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Keep in mind that this usage can be somewhat controversial, as strict language enthusiasts consider these clauses to be sentence fragments. However, it’s becoming more common and widely accepted, especially in informal writing or dialogue.
In conclusion, you can start a sentence with because as long as your sentence contains an independent clause:
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