early year

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "early year" is not commonly used in written English and may sound awkward.
It can be used when referring to the beginning part of a year, but it is more typical to use "early in the year" for clarity. Example: "In the early year, we often set new goals and objectives for our projects."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

Based on a true story, its stars McConaughey as an AIDS sufferer who smuggles drugs for other patients to treat the HIV virus in the early days of the disease in the 1980s.

The Guardian - Film

Trials of this idea are currently under way, one of which should report next year.

The Economist

Last year, during David Cameron's trip to Beijing, the same paper announced that Britain was "just an old European country apt [that is, suitable] for travel and study".

The Guardian - Opinion

"They gave me their word a year ago and now I want them to honour that.

The Guardian - Sport

According to the Campaign for Better Transport (CBT), the cost of a Milton Keynes season ticket has risen 23.5%, or £930, since January 2010 and is one of a number of fares that have increased around four times more than average wages over this five-year period.

The Guardian

As a result, the country lost a further 21 positions in the policy evaluation compared to last year, thus replacing Canada as the worst-performing industrial country".

The Guardian

But this year is different.

The New York Times

It said that if automatic spending cuts go into force and all the Bush-era tax cuts expire, the nation would slip into recession next year and unemployment would rise to 9.1 percent, from October's rate of 7.9 percent.

The New York Times

The order book was down slightly at £3.6bn from the last update in June but well ahead of the £3.3bn reported this time last year.

The Guardian - Business

We are currently in the process of interviewing potential board members, and our goal is to add an additional independent member this year in order to regain our 4-star rating by 2013.

The Guardian

Macdonald and Kennedy's friendship dated back to their days running the Glasgow university students' union in the early 1980s.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "early in the year", "beginning of the year", or "start of the year" for better clarity and grammatical correctness. These alternatives are more commonly accepted and understood.

Common error

Avoid using the phrase "early year" in formal writing. It may sound unnatural or incorrect to native English speakers. Instead, opt for more common expressions like "early in the year".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "early year" is primarily intended to function as a time indicator, though it is not a standard or widely accepted phrase. It attempts to specify a period within the calendar year. Ludwig suggests using more common and grammatically sound alternatives.

Expression frequency: Missing

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Less common in

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "early year" is not a standard or grammatically correct English phrase. As Ludwig points out, it's more appropriate to use alternatives such as "early in the year", "beginning of the year", or "start of the year". These alternatives are widely recognized and grammatically sound, ensuring clarity and avoiding potential confusion. Given that the usage of "early year" is missing from common contexts and is flagged as incorrect by Ludwig, it should be avoided in formal or professional writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

beginning of the year

Uses a more standard and common way to refer to the start of the year.

start of the year

Similar to "beginning of the year", offering a clear alternative.

early in the year

Adds a preposition to clarify the time frame within the year.

first part of the year

More descriptive, specifying the initial portion of the year.

early months of the year

Specifies the time frame to the initial months.

first few months of the year

Similar to "early months of the year", emphasizing a short duration.

initial year

Focuses on the commencement or inauguration of a specific year or project.

in the early stages of the year

Highlights the developmental period at the commencement of the year.

at the year's inception

More formal and less common, emphasizing the very start of the year.

as the year began

Emphasizes a starting action or event coinciding with the start of the year.

FAQs

What are better ways to say "early year"?

Instead of "early year", you can use phrases like "early in the year", "beginning of the year", or "start of the year" for clarity and grammatical correctness.

Is it grammatically correct to use "early year"?

The phrase "early year" is not considered grammatically correct in standard English. It's better to use "early in the year" or similar alternatives.

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

You can say, "The project will launch at beginning of the year", indicating that the project will start around January.

What's the difference between "early year" and "early in the year"?

While "early year" is unusual, "early in the year" is a common and grammatically correct phrase used to refer to the initial part of the year.