[Grammar] And the answer is yes.

[uktous]

Hi,

Question:
Could you please explain the usage of "and" in my sentence.

Sentence:
"The question often arises in the general public: Can we do something about this. And the answer is yes.


My opinion:
The "and" is at the start of a sentence, so it is very special.
According to the following link, I think we can use meaning 9 - (used to introduce a consequence or conditional result):


And | Define And at Dictionary.com

Thanks

 

[5jj]

Hi,

Question:
Could you please explain the usage of "and" in my sentence.

Sentence:
"The question often arises in the general public: Can we do something about this. And the answer is yes.


My opinion:
The "and" is at the start of a sentence, so it is very special.
According to the following link, I think we can use meaning 9 - (used to introduce a consequence or conditional result):


And | Define And at Dictionary.com

Thanks

I think it's just a simple conjunction used to connect grammatically coordinate words, phrases, or clauses.

1. "The question Can we do something about this?) often arises in the general public. The answer is yes."

2. "The question often arises in the general public Can we do something about this?) and the answer is yes."

3. The question often arises in the general public: Can we do something about this? And the answer is yes.


The speaker has simply joined thoughts together. What is marked by a full stop in the written form may be simply a (dramatic?) pause in the spoken delivery. I see little of consequence or conditional result here.

And it's quite common to start sentences with conjunctions, despite what generations of teachers have told us. But I don't recommend it in formal writing. ;-)