my initial thought was

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "my initial thought was" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when expressing your first impression or idea about a topic or situation before further consideration or analysis. Example: "My initial thought was that the project would be straightforward, but after reviewing the details, I realized it would be more complex than I anticipated."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

"When I saw him pull up," Girardi added, "my initial thought was he's out for a while.

The New York Times - Sports

"I saw you skulking around and thought, 'Who is this chap?' My initial thought was aggression," he told me.

Vice

"When he first made those advances, my initial thought was, 'This is not right,"' she says, "but then I thought, 'Maybe it is and I don't know.' Minnie had been bombarded with adults who had no boundaries and were overtly sexual with children.

The New York Times - Magazine

My initial thought was, "how lame".

Independent

"My initial thought was: 'It's over.

The New York Times - Science

My initial thought was: Golly, this is another world.

The Guardian

"My initial thought was empty everything," he says.

The Guardian - Books

"My initial thought was to ask why," he said.

The New York Times

My initial thought was that this could change everything.

The Guardian

It was like "Where's Waldo?," and my initial thought was: how easy — the old stalker trick.

The New Yorker

My initial thought was to make savory turnovers stuffed with autumnal ingredients.

The New York Times - Food

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "my initial thought was" to introduce a perspective that may have evolved or changed with more information. It signals an early assessment that is now being re-evaluated.

Common error

Avoid starting multiple consecutive sentences or paragraphs with "my initial thought was". This can make your writing sound repetitive. Vary your sentence structure by using alternatives like "initially", "at first", or rephrasing to emphasize the object of your thought.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "my initial thought was" serves as an introductory device. It clarifies the speaker's or writer's first reaction, idea, or impression regarding a particular event, situation, or piece of information. As confirmed by Ludwig, this phrase is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

85%

Formal & Business

10%

Science

5%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "my initial thought was" is a grammatically sound and very commonly used phrase to introduce a preliminary idea or reaction. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is versatile and appropriate for various situations. It is mostly used in the News & Media context. To enhance writing, it is best to use this phrase to set the stage for an evolved understanding and consider alternatives to avoid repetitive sentence structures. By understanding its nuances and context, you can effectively use "my initial thought was" to communicate your perspectives.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

initially I thought

Reorders the sentence structure while keeping the core meaning intact. Slightly less formal.

my first impression was

Substitutes "thought" with "impression", focusing on the immediate feeling or perception.

at first I believed

Replaces "thought" with "believed", implying a degree of conviction that may have changed.

my immediate reaction was

Focuses on the instantaneous, emotional response to something.

my preliminary assessment was

More formal and suggests a reasoned judgment rather than a simple thought.

I originally assumed

Emphasizes the assumption made at the beginning, before having full information.

my initial reaction had been

Refers to a past initial reaction, adding a temporal distance.

the first thing that came to mind was

Highlights the spontaneous and almost involuntary nature of the thought.

to begin with, I surmised

A more formal way of indicating a preliminary conclusion.

initially I had the feeling

Focuses on feeling rather than thought, and makes it less direct.

FAQs

How can I use "my initial thought was" in a sentence?

You can use "my initial thought was" to introduce a preliminary idea or reaction to something. For example, "My initial thought was that the task would be easy, but it turned out to be quite challenging."

What's a more formal way to say "my initial thought was"?

For a more formal tone, consider using phrases such as "my preliminary assessment was" or "initially, I surmised".

What can I say instead of "my initial thought was"?

Alternatives include "initially I thought", "my first impression was", or "at first I believed", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "my initial thought is" grammatically correct?

While grammatically sound, "my initial thought is" suggests the thought is still current. "My initial thought was" indicates that it was your thought at the beginning, and may have since changed.