on a promising note

USAGE SUMMARY

"on a promising note" is a correct and commonly used phrase in written English.
It means that something begins in a positive or hopeful way. Example: The company's financial report ended on a promising note, with profits increasing by 20% in the last quarter.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Formal & Business

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

The evening started on a promising note, with Mr. Carr on his back in a spotlight, the top of his shaved head toward the audience.

The New York Times - Arts

Norwich, the author of "Byzantium" and "A History of Venice," starts his book about the Mediterranean on a promising note: "I decided to begin, not with rocks and water, but with people".

The New York Times - Books

It begins on a promising note, with a five-minute animated sequence narrated by Kofi, who in a fairytale-like voiceover delivers the history of an island corrupted by the forces of capitalism and avarice.

The Guardian - Film

On a promising note, the CFPB said it is considering a bright-line test for solving the case law conundrum brought on by the Foti line of cases, not just for telephone calls but for emails and text messages as well.

Columbia University

Responding to the survey, Kevin MacDonald, of chartered surveyors Graham and Sibbald in Inverness, said: "The market in 2013 ended on a promising note in the lead-up to Christmas.

BBC

Brunch started off on a promising note with refreshing pomegranate lemonade.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

"Detropia" ends on a hopeful note.

The New Yorker

But, on a more promising note, in November of 1971 a meeting was organized by the Industrial Development Board at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography in Halifax for which invitations were widely extended to all fisheries interests.

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Nalbandian, seeded 10th, finished last season on a most promising note, beating Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal twice each as he won Masters Series events in Madrid and Paris.

The New York Times

On a more promising note, however, and perhaps not altogether intentionally, the savings in compensation to victims of miscarriages of justice will be put back into the pot of the criminal injuries compensation scheme.

The Guardian - Opinion

On a more promising note, there is some evidence that, over time, children in migrant mother households develop resilience, adapting to change in family configuration, as indicated by the positive relation between duration of maternal migration and happiness.

Child Development

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "on a promising note" to introduce a positive development or aspect within a broader context that may contain both positive and negative elements. This phrase is effective in providing a balanced perspective.

Common error

Avoid using "on a promising note" when the overall situation is overwhelmingly positive. Overuse can diminish its impact; reserve it for scenarios where contrasting elements exist.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "on a promising note" functions as an adverbial phrase. It modifies a verb or clause, indicating the manner in which an action begins or ends. As shown in Ludwig, the phrase typically introduces a positive aspect within a larger context.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

10%

Academia

10%

Science

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "on a promising note" functions as an adverbial phrase used to introduce a positive aspect or development, conveying optimism even amidst challenges. As Ludwig AI suggests, its grammatical status is correct and appears across various contexts such as news, science, and business. While not the most frequent expression, it effectively communicates potential and future prospects, providing a balanced outlook. Remember to reserve its use for situations that warrant a contrasting positive element to avoid diminishing its impact.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

auspicious start

Replaces "note" with "start" and "promising" with "auspicious", indicating a favorable beginning or prospect.

encouraging sign

Substitutes "note" with "sign" and "promising" with "encouraging", highlighting an indication of future success.

positive indication

Replaces the entire phrase with a more direct expression of something suggesting a good outcome.

favorable outlook

Focuses on the future prospects being positive, rather than the current situation.

bright beginning

Highlights the start as being positive or full of potential.

with potential

Shortens the phrase to focus on the potential for future success or improvement.

hopeful start

Replaces "promising" with "hopeful", emphasizing optimism and anticipation.

a good omen

Uses a more figurative expression to suggest that something is a positive sign for the future.

off to a good start

Indicates that something has begun well and is likely to continue positively.

started well

Simplifies the phrase to focus on the positive beginning without explicitly stating future prospects.

FAQs

How can I use "on a promising note" in a sentence?

Use "on a promising note" to introduce a positive aspect or development. For example: "The project faced challenges, but ended "on a promising note" with a successful pilot program".

What are some alternatives to saying "on a promising note"?

Alternatives include "auspicious start", "encouraging sign", or "positive indication", depending on the specific context.

Is "on a promising note" formal or informal?

"On a promising note" is generally considered neutral in tone, suitable for both formal and informal writing, though alternatives might be preferred in highly formal academic or business contexts.

What's the difference between "on a promising note" and "on a positive note"?

While similar, "on a promising note" emphasizes potential and future prospects, whereas "on a positive note" focuses on current, already realized positive aspects.