"At first" indicates the INITIAL situation that LATER CHANGES (implicit contrast with what follows); "first/firstly/first of all" introduce the FIRST POINT of a list or sequence without implying change.
AT FIRST: temporal marker describing the INITIAL situation or impression, with the implication that it LATER CHANGES or evolves. "At first, the team was skeptical — but after the pilot results came in, they became strong advocates" = initially (and then it changed). AT FIRST always implies an IMPLICIT CONTRAST with what came after. If there is no change or contrast, AT FIRST is unnatural: one does not say "At first, I enjoy running" to describe something that has always been the case. AT FIRST is retrospective — it looks back to an initial phase that was later surpassed. Very common in narratives of change, conversion, and learning.
At first, the migration to the cloud-based system felt overwhelming to the operations team — within three months, it had become the most praised decision of the year.
At first glance, the proposal appears aggressive — but a detailed review of the assumptions reveals that the projections are actually quite conservative.
The partnership was difficult at first, primarily due to cultural and operational differences — over time, it evolved into one of the company's most valuable strategic alliances.
FIRST / FIRSTLY / FIRST OF ALL: markers of ORDER or SEQUENCE in a list or argument. No change implied — they simply indicate this is the first of a series. "First, let me address the budget. Second, the timeline." "First of all, I want to thank everyone." FIRST (without -ly) is more common in colloquial and American English. FIRSTLY is more formal and British. FIRST OF ALL emphasizes this is the MOST IMPORTANT point or comes absolutely before all others. In discourse: First/Firstly -> Second/Secondly -> Third/Thirdly -> Finally/Lastly (not "eventually" — see related pair).
First of all, I want to acknowledge the team's exceptional commitment throughout what has been an unusually demanding quarter for the entire organization.
To implement this effectively, we will first need to establish a clear governance framework, and then align the technology infrastructure with the new operating model.
The onboarding process has three key stages: first, a technical setup and access provisioning session; second, a product walkthrough with a customer success manager; and third, a thirty-day check-in call.
Common mistake
Most frequent error: using AT FIRST where FIRST is needed for the first item of a list. "At first, I want to thank everyone. At second, I want to address the results" = INCORRECT. AT FIRST is not a list marker. Correct: "First, I want to thank everyone. Second, I want to address the results." Second error: using FIRST (list marker) where AT FIRST is needed (initial situation that changed). "First, the team was skeptical, but then they accepted it" = grammatically possible (first moment in the narrative), but AT FIRST is more natural and precise for indicating an initial situation that evolved: "AT FIRST, the team was skeptical." Third error: "At first of all" = INCORRECT (incorrect combination).
Trick to remember it
The CHANGE TEST: is there a BUT or a LATER in the sentence (implicit or explicit)? = AT FIRST. "At first it was hard — but then it got easier" (change). No contrast — it is just the FIRST POINT of a list? = FIRST / FIRSTLY / FIRST OF ALL. Substitution test: AT FIRST = "initially (but later it changed)." FIRST = "the first item on this list is..." Can you add "but later X changed" and it still makes sense? = AT FIRST. Can you add "Second, ... Third, ..." and it makes sense? = FIRST / FIRSTLY. Never: "at first of all," "at firstly," "at second" (only AT FIRST, no "at second").
Quick rule
At first = INITIAL situation that LATER CHANGES (always implicit contrast). "At first it was hard, but now it is easy." First / firstly / first of all = FIRST POINT of a list or sequence (no change implied). "First, let me explain. Second, ..." Never: "at first of all" or "at second."
Did you know?
The distinction between AT FIRST and FIRSTLY is an example of how DISCOURSE CONNECTORS in English encode different logical relationships that in Spanish are often expressed with the same word ("primero"). In discourse linguistics, this difference is classified as the distinction between a RETROSPECTIVE-CONTRASTIVE marker (AT FIRST: looks back at an initial situation from a later vantage point and contrasts it with what came after) and a SEQUENTIAL ORDERING marker (FIRSTLY: organizes discourse into successive points without implying evaluation or contrast). This distinction has implications for academic writing: AT FIRST in an academic narrative may imply the writer's viewpoint evolved, while FIRSTLY is purely structural and implies no change of position.
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
There are three main reasons why the pilot exceeded expectations. _____, the target audience was more receptive than the initial research had suggested.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
The transition to the new system was challenging. _____, the team struggled to adapt to the new interface — but after three weeks of training, adoption rates surpassed expectations.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
At first = INITIAL situation that LATER CHANGES (always implicit contrast). "At first it was hard, but now it is easy." First / firstly / first of all = FIRST POINT of a list or sequence (no change implied). "First, let me explain. Second, ..." Never: "at first of all" or "at second."
Most frequent error: using AT FIRST where FIRST is needed for the first item of a list. "At first, I want to thank everyone. At second, I want to address the results" = INCORRECT. AT FIRST is not a list marker. Correct: "First, I want to thank everyone. Second, I want to address the results." Second error: using FIRST (list marker) where AT FIRST is needed (initial situation that changed). "First, the team was skeptical, but then they accepted it" = grammatically possible (first moment in the narrative), but AT FIRST is more natural and precise for indicating an initial situation that evolved: "AT FIRST, the team was skeptical." Third error: "At first of all" = INCORRECT (incorrect combination).
The CHANGE TEST: is there a BUT or a LATER in the sentence (implicit or explicit)? = AT FIRST. "At first it was hard — but then it got easier" (change). No contrast — it is just the FIRST POINT of a list? = FIRST / FIRSTLY / FIRST OF ALL. Substitution test: AT FIRST = "initially (but later it changed)." FIRST = "the first item on this list is..." Can you add "but later X changed" and it still makes sense? = AT FIRST. Can you add "Second, ... Third, ..." and it makes sense? = FIRST / FIRSTLY. Never: "at first of all," "at firstly," "at second" (only AT FIRST, no "at second").
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy