initially started

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'initially started' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to the beginning of something, or to indicate that something began in the past but is still occurring now. For example, "The project was initially started by my mother over ten years ago, but I have since taken over and continued her work."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

You initially started with the Project Management certificate.

University of California, Berkeley

Michael initially started evacuating, pushing his people into the elevators.

The New York Times

Pretty quickly, though, different churches, probably Paul's churches, initially, started sending around copies of Paul's letters.

Yale University

"When we initially started, we thought these things were starting within weeks," he says.

The New York Times - Magazine

I initially started doing it to cure my back pain, which was consuming my life.

The Guardian - Money

We initially started off with special teams and then we go offense and defense.

The New York Times

"When he initially started talking about it, I expressed my concerns about it," he said.

The New York Times

Initially started by me my sophomore year, it was transformed by my two Co-Directors of Mentorship Initiatives this year.

Cornell University

The X dictionary is initially started with zeros.

EURASIP Journal on Image and Video Processing

We initially started out with an open-source bug tracker.

Forbes

They initially started with a mining operation called CoinHarvest.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "initially started" to clearly indicate the beginning phase of a project, process, or activity when you want to highlight its evolution or current state. This helps create a narrative that shows development over time.

Common error

Avoid using "initially started" when "started" alone suffices. The word "initially" is often redundant if the context already implies the beginning. For instance, instead of saying "The meeting initially started late", simply say "The meeting started late".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "initially started" functions as a verb phrase, often used to describe the commencement or beginning of an action, project, or process. Ludwig shows its usage across various contexts to indicate the initial phase of something.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Academia

30%

Science

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Wiki

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "initially started" is a commonly used and grammatically correct way to describe the beginning of an action or process. As shown by Ludwig, it appears frequently in news articles, academic papers, and scientific publications. While versatile, it's important to avoid redundancy by ensuring that the "initially" adds meaningful context. Alternatives such as "began initially" or "first started" can be used for variety. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is correct and usable in written English, making it a reliable choice for clear and effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

first started

A more straightforward alternative, focusing on the temporal aspect of being the first instance of starting.

was first started

A simple and direct alternative emphasizing the temporal aspect of the beginning.

began initially

Emphasizes the commencement of an action or state, similar to the original phrase, but with a slightly different word order.

originally began

Similar to "began initially", this alternative places emphasis on the "original" aspect of the beginning.

started originally

This alternative puts emphasis on the state in which something started.

initially commenced

A more formal alternative to "initially started", using "commenced" to indicate a formal beginning.

commenced originally

Highlights the formal start of something with a focus on the original state.

was initially launched

Implies starting something with a specific goal or plan.

was initially begun

Changes the phrase to passive voice emphasizing the initial action.

kicked off initially

An idiomatic alternative suggesting a more informal start to something.

FAQs

How can I use "initially started" in a sentence?

You can use "initially started" to describe the commencement of an action or project, such as "The project was "initially started" with a small team but grew rapidly".

What are some alternatives to "initially started"?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "began initially", "originally began", or "first started".

Is it grammatically correct to say "initially started"?

Yes, "initially started" is grammatically correct and commonly used. However, ensure that the use of "initially" adds value and isn't redundant.

What's the difference between "initially started" and "started"?

"Started" simply indicates the beginning of something, while ""initially started"" emphasizes that it was the first phase or starting point, possibly implying subsequent changes or developments.