good head start

USAGE SUMMARY

"good head start" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it when referring to a beginning that is favorable or advantageous. For example, "John's knowledge of Spanish gave him a good head start in his language course."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

40 human-written examples

The almost pepperlike seed of snapdragons, petunias and begonias needs a good head start.

The New York Times

"We'd like to believe we have a head start here, and hopefully a good head start," he says.

The New York Times

If you're lucky enough (and rich enough) to find a real Cobra to restore, you can get a good head start from Mr. Comer's book.

The New York Times

"Recruiting is a very hard sell at a school like Columbia, where people go to get a good head start in life".

The New York Times

With a limited number of hours in Brussels, you will want to give yourself a good head start in planning your visit.

The New York Times - Travel

"I think it would send a signal to anybody that as far as labor is concerned, that I seem to have a good head start in terms of lining up labor support," he said.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

20 human-written examples

It's just as difficult to develop the skills required of a playwright or sitcom writer – notwithstanding that Acaster and Williams' achievements as writer-performers give them a pretty good head-start.

The Guardian

Getting the long-term budget trajectory in line is something that can be safely put off until after we've solved the unemployment and foreclosure crisis, and we'll have already gotten a good head-start on that once the Clinton-era tax rate levels on upper-income earners are restored.

Huffington Post

In case if you do not or not know much about her, do some research about her for a good head-start.

WikiHow

"However, Revel already has a good year head start on EMV, since we were the first iPad POS to announce EMV processing earlier this year… The nice thing about the UK and EU is the new payment players that are making it easier for new POSs to enter the market.

TechCrunch

Frankel gave some good horses a head start, then chased them down in half a dozen strides on the turn for home and increased his lead all the way to the line to win by 10 lengths.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "good head start" to emphasize the positive aspect of a beginning. For example, "Having strong foundational knowledge provides a "good head start" in any new field of study".

Common error

While "good head start" is acceptable, consider using more formal alternatives like "advantageous beginning" or "favorable initial stage" in academic papers or formal business reports to maintain a professional tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "good head start" functions primarily as a noun phrase describing an advantageous beginning. It combines an adjective ("good") modifying the noun phrase "head start", which is a common idiom. Ludwig AI indicates the phrase is grammatically correct and widely used.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

18%

Science

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

12%

Encyclopedias

3%

Social Media

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "good head start" is a common and grammatically correct expression used to describe an advantageous beginning. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's widely accepted and understood. While its register is generally neutral, more formal alternatives may be suitable for academic or scientific writing. Usage analysis reveals it's most frequently found in news and media contexts. Related phrases include "advantageous start" and "promising start", offering alternative ways to convey a similar meaning. Remember to use the phrase to emphasize a beneficial beginning and consider formality when choosing alternatives.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

advantageous start

Replaces "good head start" with synonyms, emphasizing the beneficial nature of the beginning.

favorable beginning

Substitutes "good head start" to highlight the positive aspect of the initial phase.

promising start

Uses "promising" instead of "good" and "beginning" instead of "start", indicating potential for success from the outset.

early advantage

Focuses on the "advantage" gained early on, differing slightly in structure.

positive initial stage

Replaces "start" with "initial stage" and "good" with "positive", offering a more formal alternative.

leg up

Offers a more idiomatic alternative, implying an advantage over others.

head start

Omits "good", which can sometimes be implied or understood, and has the same core meaning.

jump start

Replaces "head start" with "jump start", which means to start something quickly or successfully.

favourable early position

Substitutes "start" with "position" and "good" with "favourable", highlighting the advantageous state at the beginning.

flying start

Replaces "good head start" with a single term, meaning a successful beginning.

FAQs

How can I use "good head start" in a sentence?

You can use "good head start" to describe a situation where someone or something has a favorable or advantageous beginning. For example, "Her previous experience in the industry gave her a "good head start" in the new project."

What are some alternatives to "good head start"?

You can use alternatives like "advantageous start", "favorable beginning", or "promising start" depending on the specific context.

Is "good head start" too informal for academic writing?

While "good head start" is generally acceptable, more formal alternatives like "advantageous beginning" or "favorable initial stage" might be more appropriate for academic writing to maintain a professional tone.

What makes a "good head start" different from a regular start?

A "good head start" implies an advantage or favorable condition from the beginning, making it easier to achieve success compared to a neutral or disadvantageous beginning.