Avoiding Sentence Fragments

Basic: make sure you have both a subject and a predicate

More difficult: Common issues that create fragments

A Common Gray Area:

But can you start a sentence with And, But or So?

Answer: Technically, no.

Explanation:

And, but, and so are conjunctions: they piece together two parts of a sentence. If you start with a conjunction, it is a fragment.

Any time you capitalize the words, And, But, or So, you know you are writing a fragment.

So why do I see it written that way all the time?

Thank you for your excellent question!

Authors sometimes use fragments for effect. It breaks up the flow of the writing. And it makes the language sound more conversational.

Can I do it, then?

Yes, you may break this rule if you do it purposefully and effectively. Make sure your writing sounds fluid and under control.

Note: if you start many sentences this way, it sounds choppy and amateurish. As a general rule, try not to do it more than once a page, at most.