Book Anatomy: Ask the book now sits at the top of every book, with example questions · Ask any classic book about the craft that made it great · 50 tools · Updated 16 Oct 2026 · My list

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H7. Variety of sentence openings. Count

Prose style. One line per book. Open a book for the full answer, charts and cited lines.

BookGenreResult
Treasure IslandThriller and adventureThe five most common first words start 29% of sentences: i, the, and, but, he.
The Thirty-Nine StepsThriller and adventureThe five most common first words start 44% of sentences: i, the, he, it, but.
The Prisoner of ZendaThriller and adventureThe five most common first words start 34% of sentences: i, the, he, and, but.
Around the World in Eighty DaysThriller and adventureThe five most common first words start 34% of sentences: the, fogg, he, it, passepartout.
King Solomon's MinesThriller and adventureThe five most common first words start 27% of sentences: i, it, the, we, then.
The Hound of the BaskervillesCrime and mysteryThe five most common first words start 31% of sentences: i, the, it, he, but.
A Study in ScarletCrime and mysteryThe five most common first words start 33% of sentences: i, the, he, it, you.
The Adventures of Sherlock HolmesCrime and mysteryThe five most common first words start 33% of sentences: i, it, the, he, you.
The MoonstoneCrime and mysteryThe five most common first words start 32% of sentences: i, the, he, franklin, it.
The Woman in WhiteCrime and mysteryThe five most common first words start 36% of sentences: i, the, he, she, it.
Pride and PrejudiceRomanceThe five most common first words start 26% of sentences: i, she, but, the, darcy.
PersuasionRomanceThe five most common first words start 36% of sentences: i, she, he, the, it.
EmmaRomanceThe five most common first words start 28% of sentences: i, she, he, weston, it.
Jane EyreRomanceThe five most common first words start 33% of sentences: i, the, he, you, it.
DraculaGothic and horrorThe five most common first words start 35% of sentences: i, the, he, it, we.
FrankensteinGothic and horrorThe five most common first words start 40% of sentences: i, the, my, but, he.
Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr HydeGothic and horrorThe five most common first words start 36% of sentences: i, the, utterson, it, and.
The Picture of Dorian GrayGothic and horrorThe five most common first words start 38% of sentences: i, he, the, it, you.
Wuthering HeightsGothic and horrorThe five most common first words start 32% of sentences: i, he, the, and, heathcliff.
The Turn of the ScrewGothic and horrorThe five most common first words start 35% of sentences: i, it, she, he, the.
The Time MachineScience fictionThe five most common first words start 45% of sentences: i, the, and, but, it.
The War of the WorldsScience fictionThe five most common first words start 37% of sentences: i, the, it, he, and.
The Invisible ManScience fictionThe five most common first words start 32% of sentences: i, he, the, and, but.
Alice's Adventures in WonderlandFantasy and children'sThe five most common first words start 28% of sentences: i, the, alice, and, you.
The Wonderful Wizard of OzFantasy and children'sThe five most common first words start 30% of sentences: the, i, but, so, then.
The Secret GardenFantasy and children'sThe five most common first words start 32% of sentences: i, she, he, the, it.
The Wind in the WillowsFantasy and children'sThe five most common first words start 27% of sentences: the, he, i, and, but.
Great ExpectationsLiteraryThe five most common first words start 27% of sentences: i, the, and, it, he.
A Christmas CarolLiteraryThe five most common first words start 29% of sentences: the, i, he, it, scrooge.
The Great GatsbyLiteraryThe five most common first words start 30% of sentences: i, he, the, it, she.
Heart of DarknessLiteraryThe five most common first words start 44% of sentences: i, the, he, it, and.
KidnappedThriller and adventureThe five most common first words start 32% of sentences: i, and, the, but, he.
The Count of Monte CristoThriller and adventureThe five most common first words start 25% of sentences: the, i, he, and, you.
The Three MusketeersThriller and adventureThe five most common first words start 24% of sentences: the, i, he, you, and.
The Riddle of the SandsThriller and adventureThe five most common first words start 32% of sentences: i, the, it, we, he.
The Scarlet PimpernelThriller and adventureThe five most common first words start 27% of sentences: the, she, i, he, but.
The Lost WorldThriller and adventureThe five most common first words start 31% of sentences: i, it, the, he, we.
Captain BloodThriller and adventureThe five most common first words start 29% of sentences: he, the, i, but, and.
Lady Audley's SecretCrime and mysteryThe five most common first words start 35% of sentences: i, the, he, she, robert.
The Murders in the Rue MorgueCrime and mysteryThe five most common first words start 39% of sentences: the, i, it, he, a.
The Innocence of Father BrownCrime and mysteryThe five most common first words start 33% of sentences: the, he, i, but, it.
The Big Bow MysteryCrime and mysteryThe five most common first words start 26% of sentences: the, he, i, it, but.
The Leavenworth CaseCrime and mysteryThe five most common first words start 29% of sentences: i, but, the, and, it.
The Red Thumb MarkCrime and mysteryThe five most common first words start 32% of sentences: i, the, it, he, you.
The Amateur CracksmanCrime and mysteryThe five most common first words start 33% of sentences: i, but, and, the, he.
The Secret AgentCrime and mysteryThe five most common first words start 35% of sentences: he, the, i, it, and.
Sense and SensibilityRomanceThe five most common first words start 27% of sentences: i, but, she, the, he.
North and SouthRomanceThe five most common first words start 30% of sentences: i, she, but, he, thornton.
Far from the Madding CrowdRomanceThe five most common first words start 27% of sentences: i, the, he, it, she.
The Enchanted AprilRomanceThe five most common first words start 31% of sentences: she, wilkins, fisher, arbuthnot, he.
The SheikRomanceThe five most common first words start 46% of sentences: she, the, he, i, it.
Daddy Long LegsRomanceThe five most common first words start 29% of sentences: i, the, it, but, you.
CarmillaGothic and horrorThe five most common first words start 43% of sentences: i, the, it, she, he.
The Castle of OtrantoGothic and horrorThe five most common first words start 27% of sentences: i, the, he, manfred, my.
The Phantom of the OperaGothic and horrorThe five most common first words start 31% of sentences: i, the, and, he, but.
The Great God PanGothic and horrorThe five most common first words start 36% of sentences: i, the, it, he, you.
The Yellow WallpaperGothic and horrorThe five most common first words start 52% of sentences: i, it, but, the, and.
The Call of CthulhuGothic and horrorThe five most common first words start 31% of sentences: the, it, he, i, but.
The Island of Doctor MoreauScience fictionThe five most common first words start 45% of sentences: i, the, he, it, then.
Journey to the Centre of the EarthScience fictionThe five most common first words start 37% of sentences: i, the, it, my, we.
A Princess of MarsScience fictionThe five most common first words start 37% of sentences: i, the, as, it, he.
HerlandScience fictionThe five most common first words start 30% of sentences: we, i, they, but, it.
FlatlandScience fictionThe five most common first words start 28% of sentences: i, but, the, it, and.
ErewhonScience fictionThe five most common first words start 38% of sentences: i, the, it, he, they.
The Last ManScience fictionThe five most common first words start 34% of sentences: i, the, he, she, we.
Through the Looking GlassFantasy and children'sThe five most common first words start 31% of sentences: i, alice, and, the, but.
A Little PrincessFantasy and children'sThe five most common first words start 34% of sentences: she, i, the, it, and.
The Jungle BookFantasy and children'sThe five most common first words start 26% of sentences: the, he, i, but, they.
Five Children and ItFantasy and children'sThe five most common first words start 29% of sentences: the, and, i, but, it.
The Railway ChildrenFantasy and children'sThe five most common first words start 27% of sentences: i, and, the, but, it.
The Princess and the GoblinFantasy and children'sThe five most common first words start 32% of sentences: i, the, but, it, she.
Peter and WendyFantasy and children'sThe five most common first words start 24% of sentences: he, i, the, it, she.
The Worm OuroborosFantasy and children'sThe five most common first words start 30% of sentences: and, the, but, so, he.
Anne of Green GablesFantasy and children'sThe five most common first words start 28% of sentences: i, but, anne, she, oh.
Black BeautyFantasy and children'sThe five most common first words start 36% of sentences: i, the, he, it, there.
MiddlemarchLiteraryThe five most common first words start 29% of sentences: i, but, he, the, it.
Tess of the d'UrbervillesLiteraryThe five most common first words start 31% of sentences: the, i, she, but, he.
Mrs DallowayLiteraryThe five most common first words start 35% of sentences: she, he, but, and, it.
To the LighthouseLiteraryThe five most common first words start 37% of sentences: she, he, ramsay, but, it.
Anna KareninaLiteraryThe five most common first words start 29% of sentences: i, he, but, the, and.
Crime and PunishmentLiteraryThe five most common first words start 30% of sentences: i, he, and, but, the.
Madame BovaryLiteraryThe five most common first words start 32% of sentences: she, the, he, and, but.
The Age of InnocenceLiteraryThe five most common first words start 29% of sentences: the, he, she, archer, i.
Silas MarnerLiteraryThe five most common first words start 29% of sentences: but, the, i, and, he.
Adventures of Huckleberry FinnLiteraryThe five most common first words start 32% of sentences: i, well, but, the, he.
HamletPlaysThe five most common first words start 23% of sentences: hamlet, i, horatio, king, o.
MacbethPlaysThe five most common first words start 22% of sentences: macbeth, lady, i, enter, macduff.
Romeo and JulietPlaysThe five most common first words start 23% of sentences: romeo, i, o, juliet, nurse.
OthelloPlaysThe five most common first words start 31% of sentences: iago, othello, i, desdemona, cassio.
A Midsummer Night's DreamPlaysThe five most common first words start 17% of sentences: i, lysander, demetrius, and, enter.
Twelfth NightPlaysThe five most common first words start 29% of sentences: sir, i, viola, olivia, clown.
Doctor FaustusPlaysThe five most common first words start 37% of sentences: footnote, faustus, i, enter, the.
The Importance of Being EarnestPlaysThe five most common first words start 37% of sentences: i, jack, algernon, cecily, gwendolen.
A Doll's HousePlaysThe five most common first words start 40% of sentences: nora, helmer, i, mrs, yes.
Hedda GablerPlaysThe five most common first words start 37% of sentences: hedda, tesman, brack, elvsted, mrs.
PygmalionPlaysThe five most common first words start 36% of sentences: higgins, i, the, mrs, liza.
The School for ScandalPlaysThe five most common first words start 36% of sentences: sir, surface, lady, charles, i.
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