start of December

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "start of December" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to the beginning days of the month of December, often in contexts related to scheduling or planning. Example: "We will have our meeting at the start of December to discuss the upcoming project."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"That was at the start of December and I have not heard anything since.

Independent

The departure of Monk at the start of December certainly didn't help matters.

The Guardian - Sport

At the start of December the Conservatives were still ahead, but just by one point.

The Guardian

The results should be available by the end of November or start of December.

The Guardian

Yet now, at the start of December, Tony Pulis has West Brom in ninth place.

The Guardian - Sport

At the start of December, Karim and other Muslims attended a hanukah service at the synagogue.

The Guardian

As recently as the start of December, the companies were worth £4.3bn and £1.9bn respectively.

The Guardian - Business

Since the start of December, municipal, foreign and long-term Treasury bond funds have lost value, on average.

The New York Times

All in all, at the start of December, ten first-team Arsenal players were unavailable for selection through injury.

Independent

All 35 patients who've used the service since the start of December were also given a full oral cancer screening.

The Guardian

Since the start of December, Hughes has batted 19 times for New South Wales, Australia and Middlesex.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "start of December", be specific about the timeframe you are referencing. Is it the first week, the first few days, or just the very beginning of the month? Providing more context can improve clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "start of December" when you mean December 1st specifically. The phrase usually indicates a period encompassing the first few days or week, not necessarily a single date.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "start of December" primarily functions as a temporal marker, indicating a point in time. Ludwig examples show it being used to set deadlines, describe events occurring in early December, or to mark the beginning of a period of change.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Formal & Business

20%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Science

2%

Reference

2%

Encyclopedias

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "start of December" is a common and grammatically sound phrase used to indicate the beginning of the month of December. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and provides numerous examples across diverse sources, primarily in News & Media and Formal & Business contexts. While versatile, be mindful of its inherent vagueness – it generally refers to the first few days or week rather than a specific date. Consider more precise alternatives if greater accuracy is required, such as "early December" or "beginning of December". To enhance clarity, consider specifying the timeframe you're referencing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

beginning of December

This is a synonym that replaces "start" with "beginning", maintaining the exact meaning.

early December

This alternative shortens the original phrase to directly indicate a timeframe within December.

in early December

Similar to "early December", but with a slightly different prepositional structure.

first days of December

This alternative phrase emphasizes that the timeframe refers to the initial days of the month.

the outset of December

This phrase replaces "start" with "outset", implying the initial period of December.

December's commencement

This more formal option uses "commencement" to denote the beginning of December.

the initial part of December

This alternative highlights that only the initial section of the month is relevant.

the month of December's beginning

This variant rephrases the structure to highlight December as the period's beginning.

around December first

This specifies the approximate time around the first day of December.

as December begins

This phrase places greater focus on the action of December starting.

FAQs

What does "start of December" mean?

The phrase "start of December" refers to the beginning period of the month of December, typically encompassing the first few days or week. It does not usually refer to a specific date like December 1st.

How can I use "start of December" in a sentence?

You might say, "The project is scheduled to launch at the "start of December"", indicating the project will launch sometime in early December.

What's a good alternative to "start of December"?

Alternatives include "early December" or "beginning of December", which convey the same meaning.

Is "start of December" formal or informal?

"Start of December" is generally considered neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts. However, in more formal writing, consider alternatives like "the outset of December" for a more sophisticated tone.