at the first try

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "at the first try" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something was accomplished successfully on the initial attempt. Example: "I was surprised that I solved the puzzle at the first try."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

This does not mean that we shouldn't try, but it does mean that we might not succeed at the first try.

Cornell University

With the existence of lossy links, however, sender s may fail in transmitting the data to its neighbor at the first try.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

For the single-hop forwarding evaluation, ORW only considers the probability that a packet can be correctly received at the first try and simply takes the reciprocal of this probability value as the expected single-hop delay, without paying careful attention to the effect of retransmission on the evaluation of single-hop forwarding capacity.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

The ability to find the right relationship at the first try, or, if the computer made one of its very rare errors, to rectify that without any financial or emotional loss.

Huffington Post

You may not achieve this at the first try.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

Me neither, at least not after the first try.

TechCrunch

Noise might not scare them off, at least not on the first try.

WikiHow

And this isn't the first try at calendar reform.

The New York Times

Also, it was not the first try at democracy in most European countries, and the European Union was there to help.

The New York Times

Don't give up if the first try at a conversation fails miserably.

WikiHow

"We had an opportunity at the second try.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider the tone of the context, and adjust the phrase for desired level of formality by using alternates like "on the first attempt".

Common error

Avoid using "at the first try" in highly formal or professional writing where more polished phrases like "on the first attempt" or "successfully during the initial endeavor" might be more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "at the first try" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb to indicate when something was achieved successfully. As supported by Ludwig AI, it specifies the timing of a successful outcome.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Wiki

25%

Science

25%

Less common in

Academia

10%

Encyclopedias

5%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "at the first try" is a grammatically correct adverbial phrase used to emphasize success on the initial attempt. Ludwig AI analysis confirms its usability, noting a slightly informal tone. While it appears in various contexts like news, wikis, and scientific articles, alternative phrases such as "on the first attempt" may be preferred in more formal settings. The phrase effectively conveys efficiency and ease, though careful consideration should be given to the intended audience and level of formality.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

on the first attempt

Uses 'attempt' instead of 'try', providing a slightly more formal tone.

on the initial try

Replaces 'first' with 'initial', emphasizing the beginning nature of the attempt.

at the outset

Indicates something happening at the very beginning or start.

on the first go

Uses 'go' as a more informal substitute for 'try' or 'attempt'.

successfully on the first try

Adds emphasis on the successful outcome of the first attempt.

at the first endeavor

Employs 'endeavor' to convey a more significant or challenging effort.

on the first occasion

Uses 'occasion' to describe the event of trying something.

at the first instance

Emphasizes the immediacy and directness of the first attempt.

right away

Indicates that something was done immediately and successfully.

immediately

Simply conveys promptness or instant success.

FAQs

What does "at the first try" mean?

The phrase "at the first try" means that something was accomplished successfully on the first attempt or effort.

What's a more formal way to say "at the first try"?

A more formal alternative to "at the first try" is "on the first attempt".

Can I use "at the first try" in academic writing?

While "at the first try" is grammatically correct, consider using a more formal phrase like "on the initial attempt" for academic contexts.

What is the difference between "at the first try" and "on the first try"?

The phrases "at the first try" and "on the first try" are largely interchangeable, with "on the first try" being slightly more common and formal.