grammar school assessments - can you start an answer with 'because'?

[sydenhamhiller]

Poor DS is doing his last few 'past papers' before the exams next week. Quite often there will be a question like "Paragraph 8 blah blah...Why did the horses stay where they were?" and DS starts his answers "Because they ....".

I understand why he doesn't want to write out "The horses stayed where they were because..." as there is the huge pressure on time - but would he be marked down on this?

I realise I am ancient and old-fashioned and can still hear my English teacher telling us "You can't start a sentence with 'because'...".

Any opinions gratefully received.

I would start with ' this is because '
I was always taught not to start a sentence with the word because.

ah, good to know it wasn't just me! thanks.

Use full sentences unless otherwise stated.

My sons school always emphasise that the children must answer in full sentences. They must not use 'because' as the sentence starter in a comprehension exercise.

You can do so, if the sentence is like this;

"Because she was so shy, Tabitha usually mumbled her greetings."

So, the two clauses of the sentence are both included, but they are in reverse order.

(A sentence like this would not usually be an answer to a comprehension question, though, but it is just an example of a grammatically correct sentence starting with "because".)