beginning of year

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "beginning of year" is not entirely correct in standard written English; it should be "beginning of the year." You can use it when referring to the initial period of a calendar year or fiscal year.
Example: "At the beginning of the year, many people set new goals and resolutions."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

55 human-written examples

In the beginning of year 6, it was all practice for the 11+.

The Guardian

These secondary schools set their own individual entrance exams which children at the beginning of year 6 must pass.

The Guardian

I currently teach an amazing student who started at the beginning of year 10 with very little English.

The Guardian

If I raise the rent by just $25, at the beginning of year two that would increase my gains by a full 15percentt.

The Washington Post

It includes a beginning of year (end of last year) balance sheet, end of year (end of this year) balance sheet, income statement, statement of owner equity, statement of cash flows and ratio analysis.

Cornell University

VanDommelen started working in Skala's lab at the beginning of year 11, when she was 16; by the time she graduates, in June, she'll have logged at least 900 lab hours.

Nature

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

5 human-written examples

The balance reverted is equal to the beginning-of-year fund balance, plus revenue less expenses.

Cornell University

Though Monday's deal is struck at a substantial premium to WebMD's beginning-of-year share price it is roughly the same price as the company's May 2016 highs.

Forbes

According to Allstate's 2015 Annual Report, revenues exceeded $35 billion and returned $2.8 billion to shareholders through a combination of common stock dividends and the purchase of 8.7percentt of the beginning-of-year outstanding shares.

Huffington Post

This measures the actual year-to-year taxable income received by shareholders in the form of dividends plus capital gains as a percentage of beginning-of-year market value.

Harvard Business Review

The income threshold data were converted from local currency to 1982/1984 US dollars (using beginning-of-year exchange rates and the US Consumer Price Index).

IZA Journal of Labor Economics

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In sentences where precision is needed, follow "beginning of year" with the specific date to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "beginning of year" without context. Specify which year you are referring to, especially when discussing events across multiple years. Instead of saying "sales increased at the beginning of year", clarify with "sales increased at the beginning of 2024".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "beginning of year" functions as a prepositional phrase, typically used as an adverbial modifier. It indicates when something occurs, specifying the initial part of a year. As Ludwig AI explains, while the usage is correct, adding the article "the" (i.e., "beginning of the year") adds grammatical precision.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

32%

Science

42%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Academia

10%

Wiki

4%

Social Media

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "beginning of year" is a very common and grammatically sound way to refer to the initial part of a year across various contexts. As seen in the examples and noted by Ludwig AI, while grammatically correct, the inclusion of "the" is often preferred for more formal writing. It's particularly prevalent in scientific, news, and business-related content. When employing the phrase, it's beneficial to specify the type of year (e.g., fiscal, academic) or provide a specific date to enhance clarity and avoid ambiguity. Alternatives such as "start of the year" or "outset of the year" can also be used depending on the desired formality and nuance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

start of the year

Uses "start" instead of "beginning" and includes the definite article, providing a more specific reference.

opening of the year

Replaces "beginning" with "opening", suggesting the start or inauguration of the year.

outset of the year

Replaces "beginning" with "outset", which implies a starting point or commencement.

early part of the year

Emphasizes the temporal aspect using "early part", focusing on the initial period.

initial phase of the year

Employs "initial phase" to denote the commencement, suitable for formal contexts.

first stage of the year

Uses "first stage" to denote the initial part, emphasizing the phase.

first days of the year

Highlights the initial period in terms of days rather than a general beginning.

commencement of the year

Uses "commencement", which is more formal and emphasizes the initiation of the year.

inaugural period of the year

Formally describes the beginning as the "inaugural period", suitable for official contexts.

dawn of the year

Metaphorically refers to the beginning using "dawn", evoking a sense of new beginnings.

FAQs

How can I use "beginning of year" in a sentence?

You can use "beginning of year" to refer to the initial part of a calendar or fiscal year. For example: "At the "beginning of year", we set new company goals."

What's a good alternative to "beginning of year"?

Alternatives include "start of the year", "outset of the year", or "early part of the year". The best choice depends on the specific context and desired level of formality.

Is it correct to say "beginning of the year" instead of "beginning of year"?

While "beginning of year" is commonly used, "beginning of the year" is grammatically more precise and often preferred in formal writing. The addition of "the" provides a more specific reference.

What is the difference between "beginning of year" and "end of year"?

"Beginning of year" refers to the initial period of a year, while "end of year" signifies the final period. They are opposite in terms of the timeline they represent, and both are commonly used in business and academic contexts.