at first thinking

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "at first thinking" is not correct in standard written English.
It seems to be an attempt to convey an initial thought or consideration, but it lacks clarity and proper structure. Example: "At first thinking, I believed the project would be easy, but it turned out to be quite complex."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

26 human-written examples

I was naïve at first, thinking I knew how to get my house ready to sell.

The New York Times

I began to make my way down, running at first, thinking only of my three young sons.

The New York Times

If we start at first thinking of these characters in that light it is because we are conditioned by Hollywood to do so.

Independent

I started to demur politely, at first thinking he might be asking me out, but he cut me off with words that quelled my doubts: "No, I insist.

The New York Times - Travel

He said he and his wife, Elif, heard a loud clicking sound late at night, at first thinking it was firecrackers.

The New York Times

In a revealing anecdote about Shaw's notorious perfectionism, Ms. Sherman recalled his telling her after a performance that it was "divine," and at first thinking he had paid her an undeserved compliment.

The New York Times - Arts

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

33 human-written examples

At first, not thinking about your crush will be even harder because you'll be so busy thinking about nothing thinking about him or her.

WikiHow

You may not be very accurate with this at first, but thinking about the scale will help you learn to think about your hunger in context.

WikiHow

Frankly, I felt a little guilty at first for thinking LittleBigPlanet's level-editing tools were cooler than the game itself.

The New York Times - Arts

Actually, it was more or less just the "feed the monkey" line at first, mistakenly thinking Chris Smalling, Andros Townsend and the other players would know the full version.

The Guardian - Sport

She looked at him in horror, at first only thinking, whoever is he, how to get him out of here, why ever did I let him in, against my better judgment?

The Guardian - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider restructuring your sentence to include a subject and a verb, such as "At first, I thought..." for improved clarity and grammatical correctness.

Common error

The phrase "at first thinking" often leaves the reader waiting for a subject. Complete the thought. For example, instead of saying "At first thinking it was a prank", say "At first, I thought it was a prank."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "at first thinking" functions as an introductory phrase indicating an initial thought or consideration. However, as Ludwig AI points out, it is grammatically incomplete and typically requires a subject and verb for correct usage in formal English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Wiki

20%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Science

5%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "at first thinking" is a common but grammatically questionable construction used to express initial thoughts or beliefs. While it appears in various sources, particularly News & Media, Ludwig AI suggests that it's often more appropriate to use grammatically correct and clearer alternatives like "initially believing" or "originally assuming". For formal writing, it's best to avoid "at first thinking" and opt for constructions that include a subject and verb to improve clarity and grammatical accuracy.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

initially believing

Emphasizes the initial belief or assumption made.

originally assuming

Highlights the original assumption before further information.

at first believing

Direct alternative maintaining a similar structure, but with a stronger verb.

in the beginning thinking

Highlights the aspect of time when the action occurs.

initially under the impression

More formal and emphasizes a possibly mistaken understanding.

at the outset thinking

Emphasizes the commencement of a thought process.

first assuming that

Highlights that is a first assumption on something.

upon first considering

More formal and reflective, indicating careful thought.

first off thinking

More colloquial, similar meaning.

when first thinking

Indicating the action occurs at an early stage in the process.

FAQs

What's grammatically wrong with the phrase "at first thinking"?

The phrase "at first thinking" lacks a subject and a complete verb. A grammatically correct alternative includes a subject: "At first, /s/I+was+thinking." A more concise phrasing is "/s/Initially+believing" or "/s/Originally+assuming".

How can I use "at first thinking" correctly in a sentence?

While "at first thinking" is often considered grammatically incorrect, you can rephrase it to "At first, I was thinking..." or use alternatives like "/s/Initially+believing", "/s/Originally+assuming", or "/s/Upon+first+consideration" for improved clarity.

What are some formal alternatives to "at first thinking"?

Formal alternatives to "at first thinking" include "/s/Initially+believing", "/s/Originally+assuming", or "/s/Upon+first+considering". These options provide a more polished and grammatically sound expression of an initial thought or belief.

Is it better to say "at first thinking" or "initially"?

"Initially" is generally preferred over "at first thinking" because it's more concise and grammatically correct. You can use "initially" followed by a verb to express the same idea with greater clarity, such as "/s/Initially+I+thought".