on the first of april

USAGE SUMMARY

"on the first of April" is a correct and commonly used phrase in written English.
It refers to the date of April 1st and can be used in various contexts. Example: "On the first of April, the school held a special assembly to celebrate April Fool's Day."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

They commence on the First of April, a (lay which is scarcely auspicious from the Luropean point of view.

Cornell University

Abandoned on the first of April, beneath a faded roster of parishioners' names, those who had once donated statues and crucifixes and were now long gone from Brownsville.

The New York Times

The showing under this rule presents the following facts: The supreme court of Kansas rendered a judgment on the first of April, 1884, removing Foster, the plaintiff in error, from the office of county attorney of Saline county.

Cornell University

"He's been a rare horse who's been able to go from a maiden on Jan . 1to the Derby favorite on the first of April, which you don't see very often," the trainer Todd Pletcher said of Verrazano, who is named for the bridge connecting Brooklyn and Staten Island.

The New York Times - Sports

There, curiously also on the first of April, archaeologists found four strings made of catgut, still intact in the midst of wooden fragments in the shape of a violin.

Science Magazine

That's all fair game...especially on the first of April.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

Somebody with the red born-on-the-Fourth-of-July Steinbrenner blood, or some watery mix?

The New York Times - Sports

Owned by the born-on-the-Fourth-of-July patriot George Steinbrenner, the Yankees continued to play the song every game.

Huffington Post

Mince pies appearing in Waitrose on the first of November.

The Guardian - Books

Baxendale appealed on the fifth of November, had the appeal argued on the first of February, and received a favorable decision by the end of the month.

Harvard University

On the first of June Henry T. Allen described the scene at the War Department in Washington.

Cornell University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about events happening specifically on april 1st, use "on the first of april" for clarity, especially in formal contexts. This ensures the reader understands the precise date.

Common error

Avoid using "on the first of april" solely to imply a joke or deception. While the date is associated with April Fool's Day, the phrase itself simply denotes a calendar date and should not be used misleadingly.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "on the first of april" functions as an adverbial phrase, specifically a prepositional phrase of time. It modifies a verb or clause by specifying when an action takes place. Ludwig AI indicates that the phrase is grammatically correct and commonly used.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Academia

30%

Science

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Wiki

5%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "on the first of april" is a grammatically sound and relatively common prepositional phrase used to denote a specific date. As highlighted by Ludwig AI, it's recognized as correct and usable in various contexts. Predominantly found in "News & Media" and "Academia", the phrase serves to provide temporal precision, clearly marking when an event occurred. While primarily neutral in tone, it can also be used in more formal settings where specifying a date is important. Despite its association with April Fool's Day, it's crucial to use the phrase accurately to refer to the date, not necessarily to imply a joke. Alternative phrasing includes "april first" and "the first day of april".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

on april 1

Abbreviates the phrase while maintaining the specificity of the date.

april first

Omits the preposition "on" and the definite article "the", creating a more concise reference to the date.

the april 1st

A more concise version of the original phrase that can be used informally.

the first day of april

Rephrases the date emphasizing that it is the starting day of the month of april.

the date of april first

Adds emphasis on 'date' rather than day of month.

april the first

A less formal way of writing the date, swapping the order of 'first' and 'april'.

april's fool day

Refers specifically to the occasion celebrated on april 1st, focusing on the holiday aspect.

the beginning of april

Indicates a period around april 1st without specifying the exact date.

at the start of april

Highlights the initial phase of the month, rather than the precise date.

early april

Refers to the first few days of april in a less specific manner.

FAQs

How can I use "on the first of april" in a sentence?

Use "on the first of april" to specify an event that happened on that date, such as, "The new policy will take effect "on the first of april"."

What is another way to say "on the first of april"?

Alternatives include "april first", "april 1", or "the first day of april".

Is it correct to say "in the first of april"?

No, the correct preposition to use with a specific date is "on". Therefore, you should always say ""on the first of april"".

What is the significance of the phrase "on the first of april"?

While ""on the first of april"" simply refers to a calendar date, it's often associated with April Fool's Day, a day for pranks and jokes.