I firstly thought

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "I firstly thought" is not correct in standard written English.
The correct expression would be "I first thought." Example: "I first thought that the meeting was scheduled for next week."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

I firstly thought Gil (Mila's dad) was excellently written, with the usual flair seen in Rosoff's books.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

"I firstly think I must and want, for the record, to refer to events of the last few week," he said.

BBC

There are two things to think about if you're considering employing your first member of staff: Firstly, think about whether you've generated enough cash to cover their monthly salary.

The Guardian

Firstly, thinks Krugman, the troika of international lenders – the entity consisting of the European commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund – is effectively demanding that the policy regime of the past five years be continued indefinitely: "Where is the hope in that?" Secondly, the political implications of a yes vote would be "deeply troubling", he says.

The Guardian

Firstly, think about how you see yourself now - describe yourself and your roles in great detail.

Huffington Post

Let's firstly think about what the statement means in its totality and then consider how each individual component works within said totality, and on it's own.

Vice

Firstly, think of how you want the tail to look.

WikiHow

Firstly, I thought, who are these "gay voters"?

Independent

Firstly, I thought the setting needed to be a bit more developed.

The Guardian

Firstly, I thought that Rattle had successfully created a pessimistic voice in Violet, encompassing the downtrodden attitude of some British people after the harsh times throughout the second world war.

The Guardian

Addressing the reception, the prince said: "Firstly I think I must, and want, for the record, to refer to the events that have taken place in the last few weeks, and I just wish to reiterate and to reaffirm the statements which have already been made on my behalf by Buckingham Palace".

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider restructuring your sentence to use alternatives like "initially", "at first", or "to begin with" for a more polished and grammatically sound expression of your initial thought.

Common error

Many writers mistakenly use "firstly" instead of "first" as an adverb. Remember that "first" can function as an adverb, while "firstly" often sounds overly formal or even incorrect in modern English. Sticking to "first" will ensure clarity and grammatical correctness.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "I firstly thought" functions as an introductory expression, attempting to preface a thought or opinion. However, Ludwig AI identifies this phrasing as incorrect, suggesting that "I first thought" is the grammatically sound alternative. This introductory role aims to set the stage for what follows.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

25%

Science

25%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "I firstly thought" is generally considered grammatically incorrect, with the preferred alternative being "I first thought". While "firstly" is a valid adverb in some contexts, it doesn't fit well when describing an initial thought or opinion. Ludwig AI confirms this assessment. Alternative phrases like "initially I thought" or "at first I thought" offer more polished and grammatically sound options. When writing, it's best to stick with "first" to ensure clarity and correctness. The limited examples available suggest it has a rare frequency across News & Media, Wiki, and Science domains.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

I first thought

Employs the correct adverb "first" instead of "firstly", ensuring grammatical accuracy.

I initially thought

Replaces "firstly" with "initially", providing a more standard and grammatically sound alternative.

I had originally thought

Uses "originally" to convey that the thought may have changed over time.

At first, I thought

Adds "at first" for emphasis, indicating a thought that occurred at the beginning.

To begin with, I thought

Replaces "firstly" with "to begin with", changing the introductory phrase to a slightly more formal tone.

In the beginning, I thought

More elaborative than the others, specifying that a thought appeared at the start.

My initial thought was

Restructures the sentence to emphasize the thought itself, rather than the act of thinking.

Initially, my thought was

More emphatic and elaborated version of the previous one.

My original thought had been

It's the passive form of the previous alternative.

My first impression was

Alters the phrase to focus on a first impression, which is a specific type of initial thought.

FAQs

Is it correct to say "I firstly thought"?

No, the correct phrasing is "I first thought". The adverb "firstly" is often misused in place of "first" in this context. While "firstly" is grammatically valid in certain situations, it's not appropriate when describing an initial thought or opinion.

What can I say instead of "I firstly thought"?

You can use alternatives like "I first thought", "initially I thought", or "at first I thought", depending on the context and the level of formality you want to convey.

What's the difference between "I first thought" and "I firstly thought"?

"I first thought" is the grammatically correct and more commonly used phrase to describe an initial thought. "I firstly thought" is generally considered incorrect and sounds awkward. Use "first" as the adverb in this construction.

How can I use "I first thought" in a sentence?

You can use "I first thought" to introduce an initial opinion or idea that you later changed or elaborated on. For example, "I first thought the task was impossible, but then I realized it could be done with teamwork".