firstly secondly

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "firstly secondly" is correct and usable in written English.
This phrase is typically used to introduce a list of two or more items. For example, "Firstly, I need to buy groceries. Secondly, I need to pick up my dry cleaning."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

Herbert Maurice William Weedon, guitarist and teacher: born London 10 May 1920; OBE 2001; married firstly, secondly Margaret (two sons); died Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire 20 April 2012.

Independent

Henning Mankell, writer: born Stockholm 3 February 1948; married firstly, secondly and thirdly, 1998 Eva Bergman (one son); died Gothenburg 5 October 2015.

Independent

'Internal' relations are often of the 'nucleus-satellite' type: they are deployed to increase the success of a nuclear proposition (or set of propositions) or proposal (or set of proposals); but they can also be 'multi-nuclear', as in internal sequence used to link steps in an argument (firstly, secondly … furthermore).

Functional Linguistics

In Section 2, basic concepts and principles are introduced firstly; secondly the proposed ABC fuzzy clustering model is discussed, and then the flow chart and the computational step are listed, along with the time complexity analysis of the algorithm.

BioMed Research International

The paper is organized as follows: in Section "Materials and method", basic concepts and principles are introduced firstly; secondly the proposed model of clustering is discussed, and then the flow chart is listed, along with the time complexity analysis of the algorithm.

BMC Genomics

You can also use chronological transitions, such as "firstly", "secondly" and "thirdly".[3].

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

'I just got bored of saying the same thing.'" Ronald Staveley Payne, writer: born Ripon, Yorkshire 6 February 1926; married firstly and secondly, 1975 Celia Haddon; died Witney, Oxfordshire 27 May 2013.

Independent

Dorian Paskowitz, physician and surfer: born Galveston, Texas 3 March , 1921 married firstly and secondly (three daughters), 1959 Juliette Paéz (one daughter, eight sons); died Newport Beach, California 10 November 2014.

Independent

"You want to stay in the league firstly, but secondly you want to finish in the first five or six spots.

Independent

Tom Vallance David Brown, producer and journalist: born: Manhattan, New York 28 July 1916; married firstly and secondly (marriages dissolved, one son, one daughter); 1959 Helen Gurley; died Manhattan 1 February 2010.

Independent

All other evaluations are shown in Table  3.> -wrap-foot> meanan; SD standard deviation This study had three aims: firstly and secondly, HR crises in German hospitals and their causes were identified in an explorative way.

Human Resources for Health

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "firstly" and "secondly" when you want to clearly delineate two distinct points in an argument or explanation. This pairing is most effective when followed by a third enumerator like "thirdly".

Common error

Avoid using "firstly" and "secondly" if you don't plan to continue the enumeration. Using only two ordinal adverbs without a subsequent "thirdly" can sound incomplete or overly formal. In such cases, consider using simpler transitions like "first" and "second", or rephrasing to avoid the ordinal structure altogether.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "firstly secondly" functions as a conjunctive adverbial phrase, used to enumerate and sequence two points in an argument, explanation, or instruction. Ludwig AI confirms this phrase is correct and usable. The purpose is to guide the listener or reader through a structured progression of ideas.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Science

40%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "firstly secondly" serves as a structured, conjunctive adverbial phrase employed to sequentially introduce two distinct points or arguments. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, this phrase is grammatically correct and predominantly utilized to logically organize information while emphasizing the specific order of considerations. While the phrase may lean towards the formal register, its utility spans across various contexts, including news media, scientific publications, and formal business communications. Though "firstly secondly" is a valid choice, it's important to maintain consistency with enumerations beyond two items to avoid an incomplete feel. When the context needs to be less structured, it's recommended to use alternative transition words to keep a natural tone.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

first and foremost then secondly

Adds emphasis to the initial point before transitioning to the second.

in the first place then in the second place

More formal and emphatic way of sequencing arguments.

to begin with next

Replaces ordinal adverbs with transitional phrases indicating sequence.

initially subsequently

Uses more sophisticated vocabulary for a formal register.

first off then

More informal alternative, suitable for casual contexts.

number one number two

Simple, direct enumeration without using adverbs.

for starters following that

Offers a less rigid sequential marker.

to start with additionally

Similar to "to begin with", but with a different additive transition.

at the onset thereafter

Adds a temporal dimension to the sequence.

in the beginning afterwards

Emphasizes the chronological progression of points.

FAQs

How can I use "firstly secondly" in a sentence?

Use "firstly secondly" to introduce two points in a structured argument or explanation. For example, "Firstly, we need to gather data; secondly, we analyze it."

What are some alternatives to using "firstly secondly"?

Alternatives include "first and second", "to begin with" and "next", or "initially, subsequently". Choose based on formality and context.

Is it grammatically incorrect to use "firstly secondly"?

No, using "firstly secondly" is not grammatically incorrect. It is a valid way to structure a list of two items or arguments, although some may find it overly formal.

What's the difference between saying "first and second" versus "firstly and secondly"?

"First and second" is generally considered more concise and modern. "Firstly and secondly" is more formal and traditional, suggesting a more deliberate enumeration.