I would argue that “but”, when it applies to a clause, cannot be anywhere else than at the start of a clause. Is it a form of “clause-initial particles” or something like that?

Is ‘but’ at the very beginning of a sentence? Does a sentence start with “but” have any value if it’s added to a brand new conversation context? Why don’t all the suggestions for the following paragraph make sense?

*In

writing, I usually want to avoid start with “but”, let alone a book or paper.

Why we write or not start with but?

And the sandwich wasn’t there.

I looked in the

fridge but the sandwich wasn’t there: exactly what I deserved, you know?

Is there no spoken difference? When readers learn that language, they will write, never tell it to

them.

I would argue that “but”, when it applies to a clause, cannot be anywhere else than at the start of a clause. Is it a form of “clause-initial particles” or something like that?

Is ‘but’ at the very beginning of a sentence? Does a sentence start with “but” have any value if it’s added to a brand new conversation context? Why don’t all the suggestions for the following paragraph make sense?

*In

writing, I usually want to avoid start with “but”, let alone a book or paper.

Why we write or not start with but?

And the sandwich wasn’t there.

I looked in the

fridge but the sandwich wasn’t there: exactly what I deserved, you know?

Is there no spoken difference? When readers learn that language, they will write, never tell it to

them.

is a word which means that something has deteriorated to the point that a slight pressure can break it into pieces.

is a word which means that something has deteriorated to the point that a slight pressure can break it into pieces.

You may be looking for painstaking. By itself it doesn’t mean “attention to detail”, but it is often combined with it to intensify: painstaking attention to detail.