as first course

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "as first course" is not correct in standard written English.
It may be intended to refer to the first dish in a meal, but it lacks proper context and structure. Example: "We will be serving a salad as the first course of the dinner."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

Yield: 4 servings as first course.

The New York Times - Food

Yield: 4 servings as first course or side dish.

The New York Times - Food

Yield: 8 as first course, 3 to 4 as main course.

The New York Times - Food

Yield: 6 to 8 servings as first course or side dish.

The New York Times - Food

Yield: 8 servings as first course, 4 to 6 servings as main course.

The New York Times - Food

Women who did not receive surgery as first course treatment were older, more likely to have public insurance, and had larger tumors, fewer of which were localized.

Breast Cancer Research and Treatment

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

Because these pasta dishes are so light, they are best served as first courses for a dinner.

The New York Times

Appetizers are listed as "small plates," and the waiters, insisting that they are too small to stand alone as first courses, encourage multiple tastings.

The New York Times - Arts

But these political disputes have educational payoffs, for as the arguments become public, they can also be used as first courses in actual politics and economics.

Huffington Post

Diners should also plan to order items from the grill menu as second courses because they take time.

The New York Times

As first-course chemotherapy, 21 patients (87.5%) received AP chemotherapy and 3 patients (12.5%) received AI chemotherapy.

Cancer Medicine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When referring to the initial part of a meal, use the more grammatically sound phrase "as the first course" or the more common culinary terms "as a starter" or "as an appetizer".

Common error

Avoid using "as first course" without the article "the". This omission creates a grammatically incorrect phrase. Prefer "as the first course" or rephrase using alternatives like "for the first course" or "as a starter".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "as first course" functions as a prepositional phrase intended to describe the role or purpose of something, typically food, in a meal sequence. However, this phrase is grammatically incorrect, as indicated by Ludwig. It attempts to specify that something is served or used at the beginning of a meal.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

71%

Science

29%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "as first course" is grammatically incorrect and should be avoided in formal writing. As Ludwig AI points out, the phrase requires the article "the" to be grammatically sound (i.e., "as the first course"). More common and acceptable alternatives include "as a starter" or "as an appetizer". While "as first course" appears in some published sources, its usage is less frequent and can be considered non-standard. When writing, it's better to opt for the grammatically correct and widely accepted alternatives to ensure clarity and precision.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

as a starter

Replaces "first course" with a more common culinary term.

as an appetizer

Suggests a small dish served before a meal.

for the first course

Adds "the" for better grammatical structure.

for starters

An informal way to introduce the initial part of a meal.

as a preliminary course

A more formal way to describe the initial dish.

to begin with

Indicates the start of the meal in a broader sense.

for the entree

Alternative that works as an acceptable synonym of first course. Note: this is for places where the word entree means appetizer.

as an opening course

Similar to "first course" but with a slightly different wording.

to start the meal

Focuses on the action of beginning the meal.

as a lead-in

A more general term for something that introduces something else, applicable in other contexts beyond meals.

FAQs

What is a grammatically correct alternative to "as first course"?

The grammatically correct alternatives include "as the first course", "as a starter", or "as an appetizer".

How can I use "first course" correctly in a sentence?

You can use "first course" correctly by saying, "We will be serving soup as the first course" or "The salad is for the first course".

Is there a more formal way to say "as first course"?

Yes, a more formal way to express this is "as the preliminary course" or "as an opening course".

What's the difference between "as first course" and "as a starter"?

"As first course" is grammatically incorrect. "As a starter" is a common and grammatically sound way to refer to the initial dish of a meal.