I initially suggested

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "I initially suggested" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to a prior recommendation or idea that you proposed at the beginning of a discussion or process. Example: "During our meeting, I initially suggested that we focus on improving our marketing strategy before expanding our product line."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

"I initially suggested the idea in a speech very late at night to, I'm afraid, a quite inebriated meeting of the New Jersey State Bar Association.

The New Yorker

I initially suggested some visuals for the video, singing in normal situations, in bed, walking through the park, shopping - she liked those ideas a lot that but she told me she also wanted to run when the song breaks and push through a crowd, so I came up with the traffic idea, the subway and the people descending the steps.

Independent

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

The upward swing in average A i initially suggests that the availability and provider choice increased with the higher participation of private providers in CY.

Global Health Action

Without our preliminary values conversation with the principal, it would have been difficult to have a discussion about what might be problematic with moving ahead as the principal had initially suggested (i.e., with CPRAT organizing non-competitive games at recess based solely on her problem definition and solution).

American Journal of Community Psychology

No monophyletic lineages were detected in sequences from the remaining 5 couples (couples A, B, E, F, and I), thus initially suggesting absence of transmission or superinfection.

Plosone

These marked similarities initially suggested that MgCRP-I peptides could have similar biological functions, thus making them intriguing targets for possible future biotechnological and pharmacological applications.

Genome Biology and Evolution

He had initially suggested that the fault for including the assertion rested with the C.I.A. "I take personal responsibility for everything I say, of course," Mr. Bush said.

The New York Times

Hague added: "The World Service initially suggested to the Foreign Office the closure of up to 13 language services, but I refused to give them permission for this.

The Guardian

The D allele of ACE was initially suggested to be associated with increased levels of serum ACE activity as compared with I variant [ 75, 76].

BioMed Research International

He initially suggested scrapping Medicare entirely.

The Economist

Ocean Front initially suggested razing the club.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "I initially suggested" when you want to refer back to a previous idea or proposal, especially if that idea has evolved or been superseded by other suggestions.

Common error

Avoid using "I initially suggested" when you mean to convey your ultimate or final recommendation. "Initially" implies that your suggestion was preliminary or has changed.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "I initially suggested" functions as a declarative statement indicating the speaker's prior action of proposing an idea. It commonly prefaces a discussion about how that suggestion evolved, as seen in the examples Ludwig provides.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "I initially suggested" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase to refer to a prior recommendation or idea. Ludwig AI indicates it is most commonly used to set the stage for explaining how an initial suggestion has evolved or been superseded. While relatively uncommon, it's appropriate for neutral settings and is especially useful when clarifying the progression of ideas in discussions or decision-making processes. Alternatives like "I originally proposed" or "I first suggested" can offer slight variations in emphasis while maintaining clarity. Remember to avoid using this phrase when referring to final recommendations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

I originally proposed

Replaces "initially" with "originally", emphasizing the timing of the suggestion.

I first suggested

Uses "first" to highlight the chronological order of the suggestion.

I initially recommended

Substitutes "suggested" with "recommended", indicating a stronger endorsement.

At first, I suggested

Adds "at first" for emphasis on the initial timing.

I had initially proposed

Uses the past perfect to emphasize that the suggestion occurred before a later action.

My initial suggestion was

Reformulates the sentence structure to focus on the suggestion itself.

Initially, my suggestion was

Inverts the sentence to emphasize the initial nature of the suggestion.

I started by suggesting

Highlights that the suggestion was the starting point.

To begin with, I suggested

Adds a formal tone to indicate the start of a series of actions or ideas.

In the beginning, I suggested

Emphasizes the temporal aspect, highlighting that the suggestion occurred at the outset.

FAQs

How can I use "I initially suggested" in a sentence?

Use "I initially suggested" when referring to a prior idea or recommendation, especially when it has been modified or replaced. For example, "I initially suggested focusing on marketing, but we decided to prioritize product development."

What's a formal alternative to "I initially suggested"?

For a more formal tone, you could say "I originally proposed" or "My initial recommendation was". These phrases maintain the meaning while sounding more professional.

Is it redundant to say "I initially suggested" if I only made one suggestion?

While not strictly redundant, "I initially suggested" implies a sequence of suggestions or a change in perspective. If you only made one suggestion and it remains unchanged, simply saying "I suggested" is sufficient.

How does "I initially suggested" differ from "I later suggested"?

"I initially suggested" refers to the first idea you put forth, while "I later suggested" indicates a subsequent idea after the initial one. The former emphasizes the starting point, and the latter emphasizes a change or progression in your suggestions.