at the early

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "at the early" is not a complete or grammatically correct phrase.
It would need to be followed by a noun or noun phrase to make sense. For example, "at the early age of five" or "at the early stages of the project." It should also be noted that "at the early" is not a commonly used phrase in written English. A more common phrase would be "in the early," such as "in the early hours of the morning" or "in the early days of our relationship."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

We're at the early stage.

Harvard Business Review

That's still at the early stages.

Princeton University

Dinner required at the early show.

The New York Times - Arts

oryzae infection at the early stage.

Nature

We're probably looking at the early 60s".

The New York Times

Ubc9-deficient embryos die at the early postimplantation stage.

Developmental Cell

It is problematic at the early stage of structural design.

Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing

Dinner is required at the early show tonight and tomorrow.

The New York Times - Arts

To look at the early reviews, the news isn't good.

The Washington Post

"We're now at the early stages of evolving that process.

The New York Times

"It's the business case that's at the early stage".

The New York Times - Tech

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always complete the phrase "at the early" with a noun or noun phrase to provide context and meaning. For example: "at the early stage", "at the early age", or "at the early part".

Common error

Avoid using "at the early" without specifying what you are referring to. It's crucial to add a noun or noun phrase to clarify the context. Omitting this makes the sentence grammatically incorrect and unclear.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "at the early" functions as a prepositional modifier, but is incomplete without a noun or noun phrase to specify what is being modified. Ludwig AI explains the phrase is incomplete.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

48%

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

19%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "at the early" is grammatically incomplete without a following noun or noun phrase. It functions as a prepositional modifier to indicate something occurring near the beginning of a process or time frame. As pointed out by Ludwig AI, this phrase needs additional words to be complete. While frequently used in various contexts, it's crucial to complete the phrase to provide clear meaning. The phrase is commonly found in scientific, news, and business writing and some common alternatives are "at an early stage", "in the beginning", and "early on".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

at an early stage

Explicitly refers to a preliminary step or phase in development.

in the preliminary stages

Similar to "at an early stage" but stresses the preparatory nature of the phase.

early on

Highlights the temporal aspect of something happening relatively soon.

at the start

Emphasizes the commencement or initiation of an event or period.

in the beginning

Focuses on the start or initial phase of something, similar to the early stages.

in the initial phase

More formally describes the beginning period of a process or project.

at the outset

Highlights the very beginning, often used in formal contexts.

at the inception

Points to the moment when something is created or begins to exist.

at the dawn

Metaphorically refers to the beginning or emergence of something new.

in its infancy

Emphasizes that something is new, undeveloped, or just starting.

FAQs

How to properly use "at the early" in a sentence?

The phrase "at the early" requires a noun or noun phrase to complete its meaning. For example, you might say "at the early stage of development" or "at the early age of five" to make the sentence grammatically correct and clear.

What are some alternatives to using "at the early"?

While "at the early" is often part of a larger phrase, you might consider alternatives depending on the intended meaning, such as /s/at+an+early+stage, /s/in+the+beginning, or /s/early+on.

Is it grammatically correct to say just "at the early"?

No, "at the early" is not grammatically correct on its own. It needs to be followed by a noun or noun phrase to provide context and meaning. Saying just "at the early" leaves the sentence incomplete and unclear.

What is the difference between "at the early stage" and "in the early stage"?

Both "at the early stage" and "in the early stage" are acceptable. The choice often depends on the specific context and stylistic preference, though "in the early stage" may be slightly more common in general usage.