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Can you start a sentence with "which"?

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whiffycat

Joined: 12 Nov 2007
Posts: 21

Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 4:38 pm Post subject: Can you start a sentence with "which"?

For example, "My future was full of potential. Which is why it was so surprisin when I quit."

Bob S.

Joined: 29 Apr 2004
Posts: 1767
Location: So. Cal

Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 9:43 am Post subject: Re: Can you start a sentence with "which"?

whiffycat wrote:

For example,
"My future was full of potential. Which is why it was so surprisin[g] when I quit."

In pure grammar, no, at least not in American English. Which is why... is an adverbial relative clause, so grammatically it should be part of the previous sentence it modifies (clauses don't normally stand alone).
However, in colloquial English, a lot more leeway is given for dramatic license.

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