at the first day

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "at the first day" is not correct in standard written English.
It should be replaced with "on the first day" when referring to a specific day. Example: "We will meet on the first day of the conference to discuss our plans."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

This was observed already at the first day and lasted for at least ten days - disappearing within 21 days after tailshock stress [ 43].

BMC Physiology

For each patient, the appropriateness of the cisapride prescription was assessed both at the first day of treatment (day 1) and three days later (day 4).

BMC Health Services Research

The length of roots and root growth rate (RGR) were inspected at the first day, than after 1, 2, 4, and 5 days of culture.

Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry

Deputy Postmaster General Jackie A. Strange was the principal speaker at the first day ceremony in Atlanta's Omni International.

The New York Times - Arts

Chicks were reared in wire-floored metabolism cages in two temperature-controlled chambers, and were exposed to high Ta (37 and 38 °C at the first day for trial 1 and 2, respectively, and decreased 0.2 °C/day) or low Ta (33 and 28 °C at the first day for trial 1 and 2, respectively, and decreased 0.3 °C/day), for 3 weeks.

Animal Feed Science and Technology

These maps depict the detailed political situation of Europe at the first day of each centennial year C.E. from year 1 to 2000.

Stanford University

At the first day, the following procedures were carried out.

Research and Practice in Technology Enhanced Learning

Anthocyanin was measured in flowers at the first day of S5.

Botanical Studies

The responses were normalized to response to H2O2 at the first day.

Nanoscale Research Letters

Briefly, at the first day MSCs were plated into a 96-well microtiter plate at 1 × 104 cells/well.

Progress in Biomaterials

The DFW increased at the first day of every stage and then decreased in the continuous flow mode (Fig. 6).

AMB Express

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use "on the first day" instead of "at the first day" when referring to a specific day. For example: "The presentation will be held on the first day of the conference."

Common error

Avoid using "at the first day" because it's grammatically incorrect. "On", "during", or "at the beginning of" are more appropriate prepositions depending on the intended meaning.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "at the first day" functions as a prepositional phrase indicating a specific point in time. However, it's grammatically incorrect; the correct form is "on the first day". While used in various contexts as shown by Ludwig, it should be avoided in formal writing.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

67%

News & Media

20%

Academia

13%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

Despite being frequently used, the phrase "at the first day" is grammatically incorrect. As Ludwig AI indicates, the correct preposition to use is "on", making ""on the first day"" the proper choice. This error occurs across different types of sources including science, news, and academic contexts. To ensure clarity and grammatical correctness, it's advisable to replace "at the first day" with ""on the first day"", "during the first day", or "at the beginning of the day" depending on the specific context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

on the first day

Replaces 'at' with the correct preposition 'on' for specifying a day.

during the first day

Emphasizes the duration of the action within the first day.

at the beginning of the day

Focuses on the starting point of the day.

to start the day

Highlights the commencement of activities on a specific day.

at the start of the day

Similar to beginning, but slightly more informal.

on day one

A more concise and idiomatic way to say the same thing.

upon commencement of the day

A more formal and emphatic way to indicate the start of the day.

with the dawning of the day

A more literary and descriptive phrase.

as the day begins

Focuses on the initiation of the day's events.

initially

Implies 'at the first day' but lacks the temporal specificity.

FAQs

How do I properly use "at the first day" in a sentence?

The phrase "at the first day" is not grammatically correct. Use "on the first day" instead. For example: "The meeting is scheduled "on the first day" of the month".

What's a suitable alternative to "at the first day"?

You can use phrases such as ""on the first day"", "during the first day", or "at the beginning of the day" depending on the context.

Is there a difference between "at the first day" and "on the first day"?

Yes, "at the first day" is grammatically incorrect. The correct preposition to use is "on", making ""on the first day"" the appropriate choice.

Can I use "in the first day" instead of "at the first day"?

While "in the first day" might sound correct, it's less common and can be ambiguous. It's generally better to use ""on the first day"" for clarity.