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Start a sentence with 'then'?

8 replies
:
Hello,

I'd like to know if it's possible to start a sentence with 'then'.

For example:

Then, he walked away.

Or is it:

He then walked away.

Thanks!
New Member13
:
I think most of the time this sentence would be incorporated into another sentence. For example,

John gave his condolences to the family and then he walked away.

I don't know that it is technically incorrect to start a sentence with then (perhaps another poster will answer that), but it seems ackward to me and incomplete. The second sentence also sounds like it needs something before it, e.g.:

Having given his condolences, he then walked away.
Regular Member813
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:
DutchGirlI'd like to know if it's possible to start a sentence with 'then'.
Yes. And a comma is not necessary.

Then he walked away.

CJ
Veteran Member45,916
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:
It is perfectly acceptable to start a sentence with the word then. The word then is a conjunctive adverb. It is in the same family as however, therefore, and consequently. So,

Peter approached the cliff. Then, he walked away. (correct)
Peter approached the cliff; then, he walked away. (correct)
Peter approached the cliff; he then walked away. (correct)
Peter approached the cliff, then he walked away. (INCORRECT -- Comma Splice)
Peter approached the cliff, and then he walked away (correct)
New Member04
Anonymous:
Then, he walked away. (This is NOT correct. There should not be a comma after then in this sentence.)
:
DutchGirlI'd like to know if it's possible to start a sentence with 'then'.
You can start a sentence with anything – even 'and' or 'but'.
Senior Member3,687
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Anonymous:
Thank you to Jose Blanco, for your comprehensive answer based on rules of grammar rather than opinion or guesswork.
-Betsy
Anonymous:
That is not true. You can't start a sentence with 'cause. (In American Standard English that is...)
:
You surprise me. Are you sure?

(Standard English is because, not 'cause)
Veteran Member61,662
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