as first step

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "as first step" is not correct in standard written English.
It should be "as a first step" to indicate the initial action in a process. Example: "As a first step, we need to gather all relevant data before proceeding with the analysis."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

January 15 , 2010The Financial Times reports that Capco's parent company Liberty International has bought full ownership of Earls Court and Olympia "as first step towards developing one of London's largest mixed use schemes".

The Guardian

Asked why police came without a warrant, Quick said it's quite routine not to when you believe that consent would be given, because consent is seen as first step.

The Guardian

As first step, we will prove that λ ¯ < 1 / δ.

Boundary Value Problems

Development of areas with strain localization is regarded as first step of fatigue damage and failure.

International Journal of Fatigue

As first step, one needs to observe nodes behavior and learn their habits.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

The method by definition is based just on geometrical parameters because it is used as first step of the design when any analysis and detailed data are available.

Fusion Engineering and Design

Fig. 1 Anonymization process architecture: cooperation, between pair of records, is estimated as first step and as a second step CoV of each record is calculated.

Human-centric Computing and Information Sciences

Matrix pre-treatment, generally applied as first step of Exploratory Data Analysis EDAA), can alter data structure and thus seriously biasing interpretation [12].

Chemistry Central Journal

As first step the analysis of the deviation of carbon chemical shifts is performed, comparing chemical shifts predicted for each possible solution with the experimental data.

Journal of Cheminformatics

As first step of the source of change analysis real per patient reimbursement data plus estimated CABG costs per year were summed up.

Health Economics Review

Although a positive attitude, 48%% will place contaminated walking wounded in a waiting room and 53 % would use iodine tablets as first step in nuclear decontamination.

International Journal of Emergency Medicine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use the article 'a' before 'first' to ensure grammatical correctness. Use "as a first step".

Common error

A common mistake is to omit the article "a" and write "as first step". Always include "a" before "first step" to maintain correct grammatical structure and clarity. The correct form is "as a first step".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "as first step" functions as an introductory phrase, aiming to indicate the beginning of a process or action. However, it is considered grammatically incorrect without the article 'a', as noted by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

83%

News & Media

7%

Formal & Business

2%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

While the phrase "as first step" is frequently used, particularly in scientific and news contexts, it is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "as a first step". Ludwig AI emphasizes this correction, pointing out the necessity of the article "a" for grammatical accuracy. Despite its common usage, adhering to "as a first step" ensures clarity and grammatical soundness. Alternatives such as "as an initial step" or "as a preliminary step" can also be considered.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

as an initial step

Replaces "first" with "initial", emphasizing the beginning nature of the action.

as a preliminary step

Substitutes "first" with "preliminary", highlighting the preparatory aspect of the step.

as a starting point

Emphasizes the commencement of an activity or project.

the first action

Specifies the initial action taken in a series of steps.

initially

Uses an adverb to convey the idea of starting something.

the primary action

Highlights the most important or fundamental action at the beginning.

as a first move

Implies a strategic beginning, often used in planning or negotiation.

to begin with

Offers a broader phrase that indicates the starting point of a discussion or process.

the opening move

Similar to "as a first move" but often used in a more competitive context.

in the beginning

Focuses on the temporal aspect of starting something.

FAQs

How can I correctly use "as first step" in a sentence?

The correct form is "as a first step". For example: "As a first step, we need to gather the data."

What is a good alternative to "as first step"?

A good alternative is "as an initial step" or "as a preliminary step".

Is it grammatically correct to say "as first step"?

No, it is not grammatically correct. The correct phrasing is "as a first step". The inclusion of the article "a" is required for grammatical accuracy.

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

"As first step" is grammatically incorrect due to the missing article "a". "As a first step" is the correct and grammatically sound way to express the beginning of a process or action.