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Which one to use?Intermediatestructurestructure
At firstvsFirst
'At first' indicates an initial situation that later changes; 'firstly' introduces the first point of a list or sequence.
Side-by-side comparison
At first
structure"At first" describes how something started when it later changed. There is always an implicit "but then...". If there is no later change, do not use it.
At first I hated the taste of coffee, but now I cannot start my day without it.
The job looked boring at first, but it turned out to be really interesting.
At first she was nervous on stage, but after a few minutes she relaxed completely.
First
structure"First" or "firstly" simply indicate order: this comes first in the list. They do not imply that anything changes afterward. "Firstly" is the more formal version.
First of all, I would like to thank everyone for coming tonight.
Firstly, make sure the oven is preheated before you put the cake in.
To register, first fill in your personal details, then choose a password.
Common mistake
- •The most frequent mistake: using "at first" for the first item of a list.
- •"At first, I want to thank everyone" is wrong.
- •"At first" is for initial situations that later change.
- •For lists use "first" or "firstly".
Trick to remember it
- •Is there an implicit "but" or "later" indicating a change? Use "at first".
- •Are you introducing the first item of a list or sequence? Use "first" or "firstly".
Quick rule
- •"At first" = initial situation that later changes (always implicit contrast).
- •"First / firstly" = first item of a list or sequence, no change implied.
Did you know?
The distinction between "at first" and "firstly" shows how English discourse connectors encode different logical relationships that Spanish expresses with the same word: "primero". "Primero fue difícil" = "at first it was hard". "Primero, quiero agradecer" = "first, I want to thank you". Spanish does not distinguish; English does.
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
I have two things to tell you. _____, I want to say thank you.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
_____ I didn't like the taste, but now I love it!
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Related word pairs
At lastvsEventually
'At last' and 'finally' express relief after a wait; 'eventually' means something happens at the end of a long process.
At the endvsIn the end
'At the end of' locates a moment at the final point of something specific; 'in the end' is a connector meaning 'finally'.
So farvsUntil now
'So far' and 'up to now' describe what has happened until now neutrally; 'until now' implies something is about to change.
AvsAn
'A' is used before consonant sounds; 'an' is used before vowel sounds.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy