just a starting

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "just a starting" is not correct in standard written English.
It should be "just a start" or "just the beginning" to convey the intended meaning. Example: "This project is just a start towards achieving our long-term goals."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

And that's just a starting point.

The New York Times

Occupations was just a starting point.

The Guardian - Books

For me, these computational approaches are just a starting point.

University of California, Berkeley

The examples discussed here are just a starting point.

Stanford University

Mr. Winstanley defends his project as just a starting point.

The New York Times

The manufacturer's feature lease is often just a starting point.

The New York Times

"This is just a starting point," she said.

The New York Times

The green paper is just a starting gun.

The Guardian

But Bennington is just a starting point for Norris.

The New York Times - Books

Living 'as a woman' was just a starting point.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Our list is just a starting point, of course.

The Guardian - Film

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming for grammatical precision, substitute "just a starting" with "just a start" or "just a starting point". This ensures correct usage while maintaining the intended meaning.

Common error

Be mindful of using 'starting' as a noun modifier when 'start' is more appropriate. For example, instead of "That's just a starting problem", consider "That's just a start problem" or "That's just a problem at the start".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "just a starting" functions as a pre-modifier to a noun, typically "point". Ludwig AI highlights that grammatically, "starting" is used incorrectly here; it should be "start". While common, its grammatical role is questionable.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Academia

22%

Science

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

While the phrase "just a starting" is frequently used, Ludwig AI indicates that it's grammatically questionable. The correct alternatives are "just a start" or "just a starting point". Although prevalent in News & Media, Academia, and Science, consider the grammatical implications in formal contexts. Remember to replace with alternatives like "just the beginning" or "merely a starting point" for enhanced precision and correctness. Pay close attention to the register and strive for grammatical accuracy, especially in professional and academic writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

just a beginning

Replaces the gerund "starting" with the noun "beginning", offering a grammatically correct alternative with a similar meaning.

merely a starting point

Adds "merely" for emphasis, highlighting the limited nature of the initial step. Slightly more formal.

only a starting point

Uses "only" to emphasize the initial and incomplete nature of something.

simply a starting point

Replaces "just" with "simply", conveying a similar meaning with a slightly different tone.

just the start

Simplifies the phrase using the noun "start" instead of the gerund "starting", which is grammatically sound.

only the beginning

Uses "beginning" to replace "starting point", emphasizing that it's just the initial phase.

a preliminary stage

Replaces the entire phrase with a more formal expression indicating an early phase of development.

an initial phase

Similar to "a preliminary stage", but with a slightly less formal tone.

a launchpad

Figuratively refers to a beginning as something which enables future actions or achievements.

a stepping stone

Presents the starting point as a means of progression or advancement.

FAQs

Is it grammatically correct to say "just a starting"?

No, the grammatically correct phrasing is "just a start" or "just a starting point". "Starting" functions better as a verb or part of a gerund phrase, not as a direct modifier of a noun in this context.

What's the difference between "just a starting point" and "just a start"?

While both phrases convey a similar meaning, "just a starting point" is more explicit and emphasizes the idea of something being an initial stage. "Just a start" is a more concise and common alternative. You can consider /s/just+a+beginning as another alternative.

When should I use "just a starting point" instead of "just a start"?

Use "just a starting point" when you want to clearly emphasize that something is the very beginning of a process or journey and that more will follow. "Just a start" is suitable for more general situations. Other alternatives you may consider are /s/initial+phase or /s/preliminary+stage

What are some alternatives to "just a starting"?

Alternatives include "just a start", "merely a starting point", "only a starting point", or "simply a starting point". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.