Are you worried about consistently using “and” at the start of a sentence?
Perhaps you find it too repetitive, or you’re worried it’ll take your reader’s attention away from your words.
Fear not! This article is here to help.
We’ll teach you how to start a sentence without “and” to help spice up your essays and other academic writing pieces.
Should a Sentence Start With “And”?
You should try to avoid starting a sentence with “and.”
It is correct, but it’s not always a good choice. If you’re going to use it, you should only use it once or twice in an essay, if at all.
It is informal, though. So, you’ll need to account for that before using it in an essay.
You can use it when writing about yourself or other informal essay tropes. But still, it’s best to limit how often you do it if you want to sound proper.
Here are two examples showing you how it works:
I liked most of the things I did. And I’m sure I’ll find plenty of other ways to excite myself.
This is the best way to continue. And it’s clear that people aren’t looking for alternatives right now.
Pros
- It’s an interesting way to start a new sentence informally.
- It’s not very common as people avoid it, so it can help your essay to stand out.
Cons
- Some readers see it as incorrect (even though it isn’t), which could take away from your content.
- If used too much, it becomes very repetitive.
While there isn’t anything wrong with using “and” to start a sentence, that doesn’t mean you should stick to it. So, it’s time to explore some alternatives to see what else works.
Keep reading to learn what words to use instead of “and” when writing an essay or in other professional contexts. We’ve gathered some great options to help you.
What to Say Instead of “And”
- Additionally
- Furthermore
- Moreover
- However
- Nevertheless
- Conversely
- To add to that
- Alternatively
- Meanwhile
1. Additionally
One of the most common ways to replace “and” at the start of a sentence is “additionally.”
You can use this to keep things formal and direct. It shows you have something to add to a sentence, but you feel it’s worthy of a new sentence before adding it.
For the most part, this keeps the reader engaged.
So you can use it in academic writing. It shows you’ve got a few additions to make to a sentence, and you’d appreciate the reader’s full attention when doing so.
Here are some great writing samples to show you more about how to use it:
This appears to be the best way forward. Additionally, it makes the most sense, as it covers all angles.
I have thought about the opportunity for a while. Additionally, I’m sure there will be plenty of backlash.
2. Furthermore
You can spice up your formal writing by including “furthermore” instead of “and.”
This is a good synonym to start a sentence with, as it keeps things direct and clear. Most of the time, the reader will understand that you’re linking new information to the previous sentence.
Remember, whenever you start a new sentence with “and” or a synonym, it implies that it relates to the information you just shared.
The reader should be following along. So, this is just a way to keep things as clear as possible for them.
Here are some great essay samples to help you understand a bit more about it:
This could go either way. Furthermore, it’s important to let things settle before we try to fix anything.
I’m looking for some more variables. Furthermore, there are options to expand on the experiment that I can pursue.
3. Moreover
We also recommend using “moreover” as another way to start a sentence instead of “and.”
You can include this in an essay. It’s a great choice that will impress a teacher when used correctly.
Feel free to include it to keep things formal and direct. It shows you have more to add, and readers should be able to see more about what you’re trying to say.
However, as with many synonyms in this article, it’s best not to overuse it! Stick to using it just once or twice in an essay to keep things clear and readable.
Also, you can review these examples to learn a little more about it:
It’s clear that they haven’t thought about the direction. Moreover, they’ve been questioned on it and can’t decide what comes next.
I have decided that this makes the most sense. Moreover, it’s going to be the best way for us to handle it.
4. However
We also think it’s good to use “however” in your writing. However, it’s not quite as versatile as “and,” so you need to know the difference.
For starters, “and” adds information. It can add positive, negative, or contradictory information. It’s a completely open-ended word that changes the course of a few sentences.
With “however,” you can only contradict the previous sentence. So, it works well to replace “and,” but it’s more limited inf how useful it is.
Still, we recommend using it because it keeps the reader engaged when starting a new sentence.
You can also review these examples to learn a bit more:
I’m unsure if this is the answer to the question. However, I’m willing to explore it more to see whether it sticks.
It’s clear that they have multiple issues. However, they’re still worth supporting to see what comes next.
5. Nevertheless
You can also use “nevertheless” as an alternative to starting a sentence with “and.” This is a great way to contradict previous information in a sentence.
Generally, this keeps things formal and direct. It helps readers to understand that the information in the previous sentence does not directly impact the new sentence.
Therefore, it’s a good way to engage readers and show them that you’ve thought things through. The more well-thought-out your essay is, the better it’ll be overall.
Feel free to review these essay samples to learn more:
This is the best option for the situation. Nevertheless, I will still explore alternatives to see what else works.
I’m going to look into it. Nevertheless, it’s important for you to do the same to see what comes out of it.
6. Conversely
If you’re still struggling with what to start a sentence with instead of “and,” perhaps “conversely” is the one for you.
It works well when introducing a contradicting idea. Of course, this makes it a bit more limited than “and,” but it’s still a great alternative.
Generally, you can use this when sharing information with the reader that goes against the previous piece of information they learned.
It shows that you’ve explored alternative options. So, it works quite well when writing a persuasive essay.
You can also review the following examples to learn more:
It’s clear that this option works well. Conversely, plenty of others have pointed towards the other one as the best to move with.
I’m sure the statistics are correct. Conversely, there is a large margin for error here that we need to focus on.
7. To Add to That
Also, it’s good to use “to add to that” when trying to find a replacement for “and” in your writing.
It’s much more suitable in formal writing because it’s a phrase showing you’ll add further information. For the most part, this makes what you aim to achieve really clear.
Generally, readers will appreciate this. It’s direct and clear, making it obvious that you’re adding something new for them to pay attention to.
You can also review these examples to learn a bit more about it:
I’m not sure if they touched on the topic. To add to that, it’s not evident whether they’re willing to expand their search.
We have looked into it before. To add to that, there wasn’t much of a need for us to try harder.
8. Alternatively
It’s also good to write “alternatively” instead of “and” to start a sentence.
You can’t go wrong with this if you’re introducing an alternative idea. Generally, this means it relates to something from the previous sentence, but it comes about it from a different perspective.
You can use this when writing an academic paper. Generally, it’s a good way to explain something to a reader quickly.
Here are some examples if you still need help with it:
This seems to be the best move. Alternatively, we can look into other options before trying again.
It’s good to try it like this. Alternatively, we will have to find another outlet.
9. Meanwhile
And finally, we think it’s good to write “meanwhile” instead of “and.”
This works well at the start of a sentence because it helps you to group two sentences or clauses together.
And it helps that “meanwhile” sounds natural at the start of a sentence. So, most readers will already be used to it.
Here are some examples to help you:
This is a good choice. Meanwhile, there are other options that need to be explored fully.
I’m sure it’s going to work well for us. Meanwhile, can we look into some variations that might change the outcome?