If you’re writing an essay or a formal document at work, you may worry that starting a sentence with “and” will look clumsy or informal.
In this article, we’ll discuss how to start a sentence without and using 8 suitable alternatives.
After that, we’ll consider why it’s necessary to learn what to start a sentence with instead of and.
8 Alternative Ways to Say “And”
In the list below, you’ll find some phrases and words to use instead of and in your writing:
- Additionally
- Moreover
- Not to mention
- Furthermore
- In addition
- Likewise
- What’s more
- Similarly
1. Additionally
Like and, we use the word additionally to introduce a new fact or circumstance that is in some way linked to our previous statement.
This adverb comes across fairly formally. Therefore, it’s a great alternative to use when you want to link your arguments in an academic essay.
Consider this example:
In this essay, I will address claims made by Parliament that the legislation under examination runs contrary to the country’s Bill of Rights. Additionally, I will counter these claims with specific reference to the clauses of the Bill of Rights itself.
2. Moreover
Another way to start a sentence without and is to say moreover. This termessentially means “in addition to what was said above or previously.”
Moreover is not used commonly in casual speech or writing. However, it is a useful way to link your thoughts or arguments in formal writing.
Therefore, you can use this phrase to tie your thoughts together in an essay or a letter to an academic or formal institution.
Let’s see this term in an example:
There has been minimal investigation into the mythology behind these pictographs. Moreover, most inferences made by Western academics are shrouded by cultural bias.
3. Not to Mention
We use the phrase not to mention to add to a statement we’ve already made.
The main benefit of this phrase is that it allows you to emphasize the point you are making.
Moreover, it is neither formal nor informal. Therefore, how it will come across depends greatly on the overall context in which you use it.
You could use this phrase when speaking to a colleague or fellow professional in a work email.
Essentially, it will allow you to make your point without being overly formal or stuffy.
See the example below:
We’ve already seen a decrease in sales as a result of this. Not to mention all the terrible reviews online.
4. Furthermore
Another alternative to starting a sentence with and is to use the adverb furthermore.
Like many of the other terms on our list, you can use this one in more formal circumstances to add information to a previous point or statement you’ve made.
A combination of “further” and “more,” this word clearly links back to a prior statement and allows you to follow it with more information.
Therefore, starting a sentence with furthermore is an effective way to link your points together in an essay, application, or formal letter.
For example:
Many of our previous appeals to the Chair have gone ignored. Furthermore, in a recent call with the Chairman, our arguments were explicitly rejected with no reason given.
5. In Addition
In addition is a direct synonym for additionally above. Moreover, they have a similar tone overall.
Therefore, you can use either one of these phrases interchangeably.
However, we wouldn’t recommend using one straight after the other. Although they are slightly different, using both in the same paragraph may appear redundant.
Let’s see how you can use in addition in an example:
I have compiled a list of grievances on behalf of the neighborhood. In addition, I have supplied a letter from the local council.
6. Likewise
The word likewise essentially means “in a similar way” or “also.”
This alternative is extremely versatile and can therefore be used both formally and casually.
On one hand, it can be used in formal writing to add to a previous statement. On the other hand, it can be used more casually to express agreement.
To see what we mean, let’s look at a couple of examples.
First, let’s see how someone might use this phrase to express agreement in a casual conversation:
Person 1: I thought the film was really good.
Person 2: Likewise! I was really impressed by the performances.
Next, let’s see how you could use this phrase to replace and in your formal writing:
Many indigenous communities have pointed out that money from tourism is rarely if ever enjoyed by residents. Likewise, representatives and researchers have found that tourism often leads to gentrification in many of their most populated areas.
7. What’s More
The phrase what’s more is very punchy and allows you to add an extra point to a statement you have already made.
It comes across as a bit too informal for academic writing. However, it can add useful emphasis when you are drafting a letter of complaint or setting out your grievances to a public office.
For instance:
None of the mayor’s promises from 2020 have come to fruition. What’s more, many policies have hurt our suburban areas.
8. Similarly
Another good synonym to start a sentence with is similarly.
This term essentially means “in a similar way,” and you can use it to draw comparisons between two issues.
It has a fairly formal tone, making it suitable for both academic writing and professional messages to colleagues or clients.
Have a look at how we’ve used similarly in our final example:
Many of our long-term employees have noted the change in our culture over the last two years. Likewise, new hires have expressly mentioned this environment in our recent morale surveys.
Is It Correct to Start a Sentence With “And”?
The truth is, it’s perfectly correct to start a sentence with and.
This may surprise you since many people mistakenly believe that starting a sentence with a conjunction is grammatically incorrect.
However, most style guides even encourage using and to start sentences when the writer wants to create emphasis.
In short, starting a sentence with and is perfectly grammatically correct.
Moreover, starting a sentence with and does not make your writing informal. Thus, it’s perfectly acceptable to do so in professional and academic writing.
All that matters is that your new sentence links to the previous one.
However, many people still believe that starting a sentence with a conjunction is incorrect (even though it isn’t necessarily).
Therefore, when using and to start sentences in your writing, it’s important to be conscious of your audience.
If your boss or teacher says they don’t like it, best avoid it!
Below, we’ve drafted some examples to illustrate how you might use and at the start of a sentence:
I had my doubts about the “peaceful intentions” of our leaders. And I was right.
I found some flowers in the garden. And several bees followed me home, which is an added bonus.
So, we know that it’s perfectly correct to start a sentence with and.
However, there may be instances in which doing so is risky since many people dislike the use of conjunctions at the start of sentences.
In case you’re dealing with a pedantic reader, have a look at our alternatives to starting a sentence with and.
