beginning of this month

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "beginning of this month" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to the first few days or the early part of the current month. Example: "We had a team meeting at the beginning of this month to discuss our goals for the upcoming quarter."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

48 human-written examples

At that time, the company said that it would start enforcing this policy at the beginning of this month.

TechCrunch

At that time, the company said that it would start enforcing this policy at the beginning of this month.

TechCrunch

He arrived in Tucson at the beginning of this month.

The New Yorker

By the beginning of this month, the third reactor had been restarted.

University of California, Berkeley

Twenty-five states forfeited money at the beginning of this month.

The New York Times

Victor Grau Serrat served as D-Lab Co-Director from 2008 until the beginning of this month.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

12 human-written examples

Petrol prices peaked at 142.48p a litre in April but fell to 130.81p at the beginning of this month, before going up again.

BBC

At the beginning of this month, automakers announced yet again that they're having a tough time, due to dismal sales in September.

Forbes

He has conducted seven funerals since the hall opened at the beginning of this month.

Independent

Robert H. Herz, the chairman of the American group since 2002, stepped down at the beginning of this month.

The New York Times

Oil prices have dropped by as much as $15 since the beginning of this month alone, and are set to slide lower still.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "beginning of this month", be mindful of your audience's frame of reference. If the current date is the 28th, it's generally clear. However, if the communication is delayed, consider specifying the exact date or week to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "beginning of this month" without a clear temporal context. For instance, if you're writing a report in December about something that occurred at the "beginning of this month", specify 'early December' for clarity, especially if the report will be read later.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "beginning of this month" functions primarily as an adverbial phrase of time, indicating when something occurred or will occur. Ludwig's AI confirms that it is a grammatically sound phrase commonly used across various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

68%

Academia

17%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Science

5%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "beginning of this month" is a versatile and widely used expression for indicating the early part of the current month. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically correct and common in various contexts, particularly in News & Media and Academia. While generally neutral in tone, specifying a more precise date or timeframe might be necessary for clarity, especially if the context could become ambiguous over time. Consider alternatives such as "early this month" or "start of this month" depending on your desired level of specificity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

early this month

Emphasizes the initial days of the current month.

start of this month

Uses 'start' as a synonym for 'beginning', maintaining the temporal reference.

first week of this month

Specifies the timeframe to the initial seven days.

in early part of this month

Adds a descriptive element to 'early this month'.

the initial days of this month

Specifically refers to the first few days.

at the month's outset

Uses more formal language to indicate the start of the month.

the opening of this month

Similar to 'start', but uses a more descriptive word.

in the first few days of this month

Offers a slightly more precise but less concise description.

the month just began

Focuses on the recent start of the month.

as this month commenced

Uses a more formal and past-tense construction.

FAQs

What is another way to say "beginning of this month"?

You can use phrases like "early this month", "start of this month", or "first week of this month" depending on the level of specificity you need.

How specific is the phrase "beginning of this month"?

The phrase "beginning of this month" generally refers to the first few days of the current month. For more precision, you could specify the exact date or use "first week of this month".

When is it best to avoid using "beginning of this month"?

Avoid using "beginning of this month" if there's a chance the context will become unclear due to the passage of time. In such cases, provide a specific date or timeframe, such as "early December".

Is "beginning of this month" formal or informal?

The phrase "beginning of this month" is generally considered neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts. However, for highly formal writing, consider alternatives like "at the month's outset".