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Can one start a sentence with the word apparently?

For example:

Apparently he did not pay him back.

I know that one should not start a sentence with because, but what are some words that one shouldn't start sentences with?

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  • There's no such rule. It's only a matter of style.
    – Luke_0
    Commented Oct 16, 2012 at 1:59
  • Only words that will prevent your essay from being understood, appreciated, or published.
    – user21497
    Commented Oct 16, 2012 at 2:06
  • See what I mean? Second time this morning that this question has appeared.
    – user21497
    Commented Oct 16, 2012 at 2:08
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    Or end a sentence with?
    – bib
    Commented Oct 16, 2012 at 2:15
  • 3
    Do you know why you can't begin a sentence with because? Because I said so!
    – bib
    Commented Oct 16, 2012 at 2:18

2 Answers 2

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There is nothing wrong with starting a sentence with apparently. Apparently is completely different than because in this respect. Because is a subordinating conjunction, which connects a dependent clause to its independent clause. Apparently is simply an adverb, or arguably even an interjection, but it does not under any circumstances connect two clauses.

There is nothing grammatically wrong with starting a sentence with because, as the dependent clause can come before the independent one, e.g:

Because his mother was allergic to dogs, the boy was without a pet for most of his childhood.

This is perfectly valid. There are no words that are universally bad to start a sentence with. In situations where it is wrong to start a sentence with a certain word, it is simply as a side effect to some other rule, or the rest of the sentence can be re-worked in some way for it to be correct.

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There's no wrong in starting a sentence with "apparently". Just for knowledge purposes:

Apparently is an adverb.
Apparent is an adjective.

Like what the previous comments were: matter of style and preference.

For references; 

http://blog.oxforddictionaries.com/2012/01/can-i-start-a-sentence-with-a-conjunction/

http://theadvancededit.com/grammar/grammar-myths-debunked-starting-sentences-with-because/
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  • The first sentence is of no help to the questioner since "apparently" is not being used as a word but instead is being implicitly quoted. It's like saying that suffixes can start sentences because '"-ing" is a suffix.' is a perfectly good sentence. It rather misses the point.
    – Merk
    Commented Oct 16, 2012 at 3:39
  • +1 This may not answer the question. However, it's a well written answer for a 'Newbie'.
    – Kris
    Commented Oct 16, 2012 at 5:13

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