at the start of the study

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "at the start of the study" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to the initial phase or beginning period of a research study or academic investigation. Example: "At the start of the study, participants were given a detailed overview of the research objectives."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

At the start of the study, 52% of participants were confident of success.

The Guardian - Opinion

At the start of the study, 52percentt said they were.

The New York Times - Health

None of the women had cancer or heart disease at the start of the study.

The New York Times

All the adults were free of diabetes and cardiovascular disease at the start of the study.

The Guardian

Tests for psychiatric symptoms were given at the start of the study and repeated each year.

The New York Times - Health

At the start of the study, they interviewed the subjects about medications and general health.

The New York Times - Health

The group's average age at the start of the study was 21.

The Guardian

The average age at the start of the study was 57.

Harvard University

About 15% of the women said they had migraines at the start of the study.

Harvard University

At the start of the study, the children were ages 7-9.

Stanford University

All the participants were given memory tests at the start of the study.

Harvard University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a research timeline, use "at the start of the study" to clearly indicate the conditions, measurements, or characteristics of participants before any interventions or observations were made.

Common error

Avoid using "at the start of the study" when you actually mean to describe something that happened later during the study. Ensure your verb tenses are consistent with the timeline you are presenting.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "at the start of the study" functions as a prepositional phrase, modifying a verb or noun by specifying when something occurred. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and widespread use.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

42%

News & Media

38%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "at the start of the study" is a grammatically sound and very common prepositional phrase used to indicate the initial phase of a research study. According to Ludwig AI, this phrase is indeed correct and highly usable in written English. It's frequently found in scientific, news, and academic contexts, as well as in neutral register. When using this phrase, ensure it accurately reflects the timeline and that the accompanying verb tenses are consistent. Alternatives include "at the beginning of the study" or "in the initial phase of the study".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

at the beginning of the study

Replaces "start" with its direct synonym "beginning", maintaining nearly identical meaning.

in the initial phase of the study

Substitutes "at the start" with "in the initial phase", emphasizing the temporal aspect.

upon commencement of the study

Replaces "start" with the more formal "commencement", indicating the formal initiation.

at the outset of the study

Uses "outset" in place of "start", conveying a similar sense of the initial stage.

when the study began

Transforms the phrase into a subordinate clause, altering the grammatical structure.

in the early stages of the study

Replaces "start" with "early stages", highlighting a period rather than a specific point.

as the study commenced

Similar to "upon commencement", but phrased as a clause.

initially in the study

Uses "initially" to express the same concept, changing the word order.

from the inception of the study

Employs "inception" to denote the origin or beginning, sounding more formal.

at study initiation

Shortens the phrase using a noun adjunct, making it more concise.

FAQs

What can I say instead of "at the start of the study"?

You can use alternatives like "at the beginning of the study", "in the initial phase of the study", or "at the outset of the study" depending on the context.

Is it better to use "at the beginning of the study" or "at the start of the study"?

Both "at the beginning of the study" and "at the start of the study" are grammatically correct and have very similar meanings. The choice often comes down to personal preference, though "at the start of the study" may be slightly more common.

How do I correctly use "at the start of the study" in a sentence?

Ensure the phrase clearly indicates the point in time when something was measured or observed. For example, "At the start of the study, all participants completed a baseline questionnaire."

What's the difference between "at the start of the study" and "during the study"?

"At the start of the study" refers to the initial phase, while "during the study" refers to any point in time after the study has begun. For example, baseline measurements are taken "at the start of the study", while changes in those measurements may occur "during the study".