call me first

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "call me first" is correct and usable in written English.
It is often used when someone wants to be the first to know information. For example: "If you find out anything, call me first so I can be in the loop."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

"He'll probably call me first," Jeter said.

The New York Times - Sports

The truth is, I want the school to call me first.

The Washington Post

"I told him, 'Your candidate will have to call me first before I make any kind of commitment to support her,'" Mr. Smith recalled.

The New York Times

She had once talked with Yahoos Jerry Yang, who told her that if she was ever close to selling, call me first.

Forbes

"I said, 'Hey, bro, if you ever feel like that, promise me you'll at least call me first.

Huffington Post

"I didn't want the ones I didn't call to say, 'Why you didn't call me first?' and all that," he said.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

If only they had called me first".

The New York Times - Magazine

"Some Greek-American newspaper reporters called me first," Bishop Andonios said.

The New York Times

"It was my way of making sure that he called me first," she said.

The New York Times - Style

It was Peter who called me first, and asked if I would be interested in organizing a jeu de cuisine, a cooking game.

The New Yorker

I was happy that they called me first instead of the authorities, and we had a calm and intelligent conversation about animal welfare and the realities of animal husbandry on farms.

Cornell University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "call me first" when you want to emphasize the importance of being the initial point of contact, especially when time-sensitive information or decisions are involved.

Common error

Avoid using "call me first" in contexts where immediacy is more crucial than priority. If immediate action is needed, state the specific action rather than implying a delayed call.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "call me first" functions as an imperative, directing someone to take a specific action (calling) with a prioritized timing. Ludwig provides examples where this phrase is used in both direct requests and reported speech, indicating its versatility.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

71%

Academia

14%

Formal & Business

14%

Less common in

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "call me first" is a grammatically sound and useful imperative that emphasizes the importance of being the initial point of contact. According to Ludwig, it's versatile and appears across a range of sources, particularly in News & Media. While relatively uncommon, it clearly conveys a request for prioritized communication, making it suitable when you need to be informed before others. Consider alternatives like "contact me beforehand" for more formal settings or to simply add variety to your language.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

make sure to call me before anyone else

Emphasizes the importance of calling before others, adding a sense of urgency.

contact me beforehand

Replaces "call" with "contact" and "first" with "beforehand", emphasizing the timing of the contact.

reach out to me initially

Uses "reach out" instead of "call", making it slightly more formal, and "initially" instead of "first".

let me know before you call anyone else

Shifts the focus to letting someone know before contacting others, emphasizing information sharing.

get in touch with me prior to anything else

A more elaborate way of saying "call me first", stressing the importance of contacting you before any other action is taken.

be sure to phone me ahead of time

Uses a more formal "phone me" and specifies that the call should happen "ahead of time".

give me a ring beforehand

Uses the informal "give me a ring" instead of "call", while keeping the timing aspect with "beforehand".

please, contact me in the first instance

Replaces "call" with a more formal "contact" and uses "in the first instance" to denote priority.

drop me a line first

Uses the slightly old-fashioned "drop me a line" instead of "call", maintaining the priority with "first".

ping me before proceeding

More suited for digital communication, using "ping me" and emphasizing the timing relative to "proceeding".

FAQs

How can I rephrase "call me first" to sound more formal?

For a more formal tone, use phrases like "contact me beforehand" or "reach out to me initially". These options replace the more casual "call" with more professional terms.

What's a casual alternative to "call me first"?

If you want a more relaxed expression, consider saying "give me a ring beforehand" or "drop me a line first". These are less direct and more conversational.

In what situations is it appropriate to use "call me first"?

Use "call me first" when you want to be the primary point of contact for important news or decisions. It's suitable in situations where you need to be informed before others or before a specific action is taken.

Is "call me first" the same as "call me immediately"?

No, "call me first" implies priority of contact, whereas "call me immediately" implies urgency. You might use "call me first" when you want to be informed before others, even if the information isn't urgent. If you need immediate notification, regardless of who else knows, use "call me immediately".