an excellent opening

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "an excellent opening" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a strong or effective beginning in various contexts, such as writing, speeches, or presentations. Example: "The author crafted an excellent opening that immediately captured the reader's attention."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sport

Arts

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

13 human-written examples

On the album chart, the country singer Luke Bryan also had an excellent opening week, with 528,000 copies of his latest album, "Crash My Party" (Capitol Nashville).

The New York Times

The William Henry Harrison story is also an excellent opening for a discussion about one of the policy issues in the current Republican presidential campaign.

The New York Times

After an excellent opening half-hour we venture to Tatooine, where the lamest 30 minutes in Star Wars history takes place.

The Guardian - Film

Arsenal had entered the new year on top of the table after an excellent opening 19 Premier League matches and they had been consistently good throughout 2013.

The Guardian - Sport

Ronaldo's elevation to No1 on the Guardian list would seem to chime with this, a player who had an excellent opening seven minutes of the World Cup finishing above the dominant influence in the beaten finalists.

The Guardian - Sport

We said before the start that our only option was to try and win this game – any other result would have been unacceptable – and we made an excellent opening to the World Cup.

The Guardian - Sport

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

47 human-written examples

Parks starts out as a fairly neutral observer: in the excellent opening chapter, he recounts his 550-mile bus trip with the brigate to Bari, an all-night boozefest peppered with drug abuse, vulgar banter and clashes with the police.

The New York Times - Books

Together they make an excellent novel.The opening picture is of the paper's elderly Paris correspondent, whose skills as a hack have deserted him after a lifetime of dissolution.

The Economist

Excellent opening over from Dananjaya, full of variation and unpredictability.

The Guardian - Sport

At this point it helps to glance over Philipp Blom's excellent opening essay in the show's catalog.

The New York Times - Arts

Only to return in stunning form at the beginning of the excellent opening episode of The Driver.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "an excellent opening" to highlight a particularly strong or effective beginning in a variety of contexts, ranging from sports to literature.

Common error

While "an excellent opening" is versatile, avoid using it excessively in very informal conversations. Simpler alternatives like "a good start" may be more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "an excellent opening" functions as a noun phrase, where "excellent" modifies the noun "opening". It describes the quality of something's beginning, typically to express a favorable or impressive start. Ludwig confirms that this is a correct and usable phrase.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

42%

Sport

20%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Science

10%

Arts

8%

Encyclopedias

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "an excellent opening" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase that describes a strong or impressive start. According to Ludwig, it is suitable across a range of contexts, particularly in news, sports, and artistic reviews. While versatile, it’s best to consider simpler alternatives for very informal settings. The phrase's communicative purpose is to positively evaluate an event's beginning, making it a valuable expression for highlighting successes and potential.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a superb beginning

Replaces "excellent" with "superb" and "opening" with "beginning", maintaining a similar positive connotation.

an outstanding start

Substitutes "excellent" with "outstanding" and "opening" with "start", indicating a highly impressive commencement.

a remarkable launch

Replaces "excellent" with "remarkable" and "opening" with "launch", emphasizing the noteworthy nature of the beginning.

a brilliant kickoff

Uses "brilliant" instead of "excellent" and "kickoff" to replace "opening", suggesting an exciting start.

a strong initiation

Replaces "excellent" with "strong" and "opening" with "initiation", focusing on the power and effectiveness of the beginning.

a favorable commencement

Substitutes "excellent" with "favorable" and "opening" with "commencement", highlighting the positive and auspicious nature of the start.

a promising inception

Replaces "excellent" with "promising" and "opening" with "inception", focusing on the potential and hopefulness of the beginning.

a great first move

Uses "great" to replace "excellent" and "first move" instead of "opening", suggesting a successful initial action.

an impressive debut

Substitutes "excellent" with "impressive" and "opening" with "debut", highlighting the impact of the first appearance or introduction.

a wonderful dawn

Replaces "excellent" with "wonderful" and "opening" with "dawn", creating a metaphorical image of a beautiful beginning.

FAQs

How can I use "an excellent opening" in a sentence?

You can use "an excellent opening" to describe a strong beginning. For example, "The play had "an excellent opening", captivating the audience from the start."

What are some alternatives to "an excellent opening"?

Alternatives include "a superb beginning", "an outstanding start", or "a remarkable launch", depending on the specific context.

Is it appropriate to use "an excellent opening" in formal writing?

Yes, "an excellent opening" is suitable for formal writing. It is grammatically correct and conveys a clear, positive message about a beginning.

What's the difference between "an excellent opening" and "a good start"?

While both phrases indicate a positive beginning, "an excellent opening" suggests a particularly impressive or effective start, whereas "a good start" is a more general expression.