it has just started

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it has just started" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate that something has recently begun or commenced. Example: "The meeting has just started, so please take your seats quietly."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Lifestyle

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

15 human-written examples

It has just started.

The Guardian - Sport

It has just started taking in films.

The New York Times

It has just started a satellite-television service in their language, Malay.

The Economist

The job is not over, in fact, it has just started".

The Guardian

It has just started offering lasers and other generators of light, for example; Lucent, whose Bell Laboratories subsidiary invented the laser, has offered them for years.

The New York Times

Angie's List has a lot of listings in smaller cities like Indianapolis and Columbus, Ohio, where it has been operating longer, than it does in larger cities it has just started to cover.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

45 human-written examples

It had just started moving again when the other train plowed into it.

The New York Times

Funnily enough it had just started to pick up but they lost their patience.

Independent

Instead, people believed the job was done when it had just started and went home.

The Guardian - Opinion

7.48pm GMT GOAL! Turkey 2-1 Sweden (Adin) It had just started going right for Sweden and then … calamity.

The Guardian - Sport

Krumholz convinced Medicare in 1995 to give him access to detailed patient data it had just started collecting from heart doctors in Alabama, Connecticut, Iowa and Wisconsin.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "it has just started" to emphasize the newness or initial phase of an event, process, or activity. It's effective when you want to highlight that something is still in its early stages and potentially has much further to develop.

Common error

Avoid using "it has just started" to describe actions that are already well underway or have been happening for a significant period. This phrase implies a very recent beginning, so it's not suitable for established or long-lasting situations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it has just started" functions as a statement indicating that an event, process, or activity has recently begun. It is a common way to express the initial phase of something, as confirmed by Ludwig AI.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

64%

Science

18%

Lifestyle

9%

Less common in

Wiki

4%

Science & Research

4%

Business

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "it has just started" is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression that signifies the recent commencement of an event or process. Ludwig AI confirms its validity and widespread use across various contexts. Predominantly found in news and media sources, it serves to emphasize the newness of a situation. To diversify your writing, alternatives such as "it recently began" or "it is only just begun" can be employed. Remember to use the phrase when you truly intend to highlight the initial phase of something, as misusing it for ongoing actions can be misleading.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it recently began

Uses 'recently' to emphasize the newness, and 'began' instead of 'started'.

it's only just begun

Adds 'only' to further highlight the initial stage and uses the present perfect continuous tense.

it's in its early stages

Focuses on the stage of development rather than the act of starting.

it is newly underway

Replaces 'started' with 'underway' for a more formal tone.

it has only recently commenced

Emphasizes the recency with 'only recently' and uses the more formal 'commenced'.

it is now beginning

More immediate sense of something happening in the present

it's just getting off the ground

Uses an idiom to describe the initial phase of an endeavor.

it is at the starting point

Emphasizes the very beginning of something.

it is dawning

Employs a more metaphorical expression to suggest a beginning.

the inception is recent

Uses a more formal and noun-based construction focusing on the 'inception'.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "it has just started" to emphasize the potential for growth?

Consider using phrases like "it is only beginning" or "it is in its infancy" to suggest that something has recently commenced and has significant room for development.

When is it appropriate to use "it has just started" versus "it started recently"?

Use "it has just started" to highlight the immediate present and a very recent commencement. "It started recently" is more general and implies a beginning that occurred at some point in the recent past, without the same sense of immediacy.

What are some formal alternatives to "it has just started" for professional writing?

In formal contexts, you might prefer phrases such as "it has newly commenced" or "the initiative has just been launched" to convey a similar meaning with a more sophisticated tone.

Is it correct to say "it had just started" instead of "it has just started"?

Yes, "it had just started" is grammatically correct, but it places the beginning in the past relative to another past event. For instance, "The movie had just started when we arrived" indicates the starting point occurred before your arrival. "It has just started" refers to the present.