The phrase "a tentative start to" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when describing an initial phase or beginning of something that is uncertain or not fully developed.
Example: "The project was a tentative start to what we hope will be a successful collaboration between the two companies."
Alternatives: "a preliminary beginning to" or "an initial attempt at".
Both fighters made a tentative start to the fight, with few punches thrown in a cagey first round.
Usain Bolt of Jamaica overcame a tentative start to win the 100 meters in 9.88 seconds at the Monaco Diamond League meet, beating a strong field in a tuneup for next month's world championships.
After a tentative start to his Monaco career, Henry was named the French Young Footballer of the Year in 1996, and in the 1996 97 season, his solid performances helped the club win the Ligue 1 title.
This ministerial summit could provide a tentative start to what can be the building of a rights-focused mental health system in South Africa, with active participation of people with psychosocial disability.
Sierra Boggess, Disney's erstwhile little mermaid and all but drowning in that hare-brained opus, has the beauty of a cameo on a silk ribbon and sings the title tune breath-takingly--building it from a deliberately tentative start to a triumphant conclusion.
Murali Vijay had made a tentative start at the other end, but after taking eight off a loose over from Peter Siddle, he began to open up, and he ended the 20th over with a six and a four off consecutive balls from Nathan Lyon.
Not if you go by the number of people who eagerly approached us to practise their English and, after a tentative start, wanted to say what they thought of their rulers.
A Tentative Start The airlift to Syrian rebels began slowly.
We got pushed back by a very good team". Atlético made a tentative start in their attempt to overturn the one-goal deficit from the first leg.
Wilder, who is 6-foot-7 with an enormous wingspan, got off to a tentative start, then fell behind by 2-0 in the first round.
In Takemitsu's "November Steps," the players at first seemed slightly at sea, but after a tentative start, Mr. Ozawa was able to draw a confident performance from them.
