Sentence Opener Checker
Paste your writing to see the first word of every sentence, how often each opener is used, and where the same opening repeats three or more times in a row. The checker also flags heavy use of The, This, It, There and I, and sorts openings by type so you can see your options. Free, no sign-up.
Runs entirely in your browser — your text is never uploaded.
Paste or type at least two sentences to see how they open — and where the openings repeat.
How to Use the Sentence Opener Checker
- Paste at least two sentences. A full paragraph shows the pattern best. Headings are recognized and left out of the count.
- Check the patterns. The checker lists runs of three or more sentences with the same first word, openers you lean on heavily, and sentences that open with It is, There are or a bare This.
- Read the highlights. Each sentence's first word is coloured by type — subject, transition, introductory clause or introductory phrase — and openers that repeat or dominate turn rose.
- Vary the openings that matter. The tables of first words and first two words show your habits; rewrite a few openings with the patterns below and run the text again.
Why Sentence Openings Matter
Readers hear rhythm before they weigh content. Four sentences in a row that begin The… read like a list even when the ideas connect, and a paragraph in which every sentence starts with its subject gives the reader no signal of how one idea leads to the next. Varying the opening — a transition here, a dependent clause there — shows the logic as well as the facts.
Some openers deserve a closer look, which is why they are on the watch list. It is and There are are expletives: the grammatical subject is a placeholder and the real one arrives late (There are three factors that explain… → Three factors explain…). A This followed straight by a verb (This shows…) leaves the reader to work out what this is; a noun fixes it (This result shows…). And I is acceptable in many fields, but a run of sentences that all begin with it moves the focus from the work to the writer. The checker flags The when it opens 30% or more of your sentences, because it is the most common opener in English, and This, It, There and I at 20% — in each case only when at least three sentences use it.
Four Ways to Open a Sentence
| Opening type | Example | Use it to |
|---|---|---|
| Subject first | The participants completed a weekly diary. | State a point plainly — the default, and right most of the time. |
| Transition | However, the diaries depended on honest reporting. | Show how this sentence relates to the last: contrast, addition, consequence. |
| Introductory clause | Although the sample was small, the trend held. | Put a condition, a cause or a concession before the main point. |
| Introductory phrase | Across all eight weeks, students underestimated their study time. | Set the time, the place or the scope first. |
In the Try an example paragraph, The opens five of the eight sentences — 63% — including a run of four in a row, and every sentence starts with its subject. Two open with It is or There are, and one with a bare This. Rewriting three openings in the middle of the paragraph breaks the run, brings The down to two of eight sentences, and gives the bare This a noun:
Before
The participants completed a weekly diary for eight weeks. The diaries recorded hours spent on coursework, paid work and leisure. The results showed that most students underestimated their study time. This suggests that self-reports are unreliable.
After
For eight weeks, the participants completed a weekly diary. Each entry recorded hours spent on coursework, paid work and leisure. When these totals were compared with the students' own estimates, most students turned out to have underestimated their study time. This gap suggests that self-reports are unreliable.
Most sentences in academic writing still start with the subject, and that is fine. Aim for variety where it helps the reader follow the argument, not for variety as decoration. For words that signal how ideas connect, try the Transition Word Finder.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is it wrong to start sentences with the same word?
- No — it is a matter of rhythm, not grammar. Two sentences starting with The are unremarkable; three or four in a row start to sound mechanical. The checker flags runs of three or more so you can decide whether the repetition is deliberate, as in a parallel list, or accidental.
- Can you start a sentence with “This” in academic writing?
- Yes, as long as the reader knows what this refers to. A bare This followed by a verb (This shows that…) often points back to a whole idea, which can be ambiguous; adding a noun (This difference shows that…) makes the reference exact. The checker counts bare-This openings so you can review them.
- Why avoid starting with “It is” or “There are”?
- They delay the real subject. It is clear that the sample was biased adds little to The sample was biased, and There are many studies that show becomes Many studies show. Expletive openings are not errors, but in academic writing they are often the easiest words to cut.
- How should I start sentences in an academic essay?
- Mix the four types: subject first for plain statements, transitions to show how ideas connect, introductory clauses for conditions and concessions, and introductory phrases for time, place or scope. Most sentences will still start with the subject — the aim is variety where it helps the logic.
- How does the checker decide where a sentence ends?
- At a full stop, question mark or exclamation mark followed by a capital letter, a number or a quotation mark, and at line breaks. It does not split after abbreviations such as Dr., e.g. and i.e. or after initials, and et al. only ends a sentence when a capital letter follows. A short line without end punctuation that is followed by more text is treated as a heading and left out.
- Is my writing uploaded?
- No. Everything runs in your browser, and your text is never sent or saved.