start of last month

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "start of last month" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to the beginning of the previous month in a temporal context. Example: "We had our meeting at the start of last month to discuss the new project."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sport

Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

23 human-written examples

Tony Hall, who arrived at the BBC as Director-General at the start of last month(April), is already under pressure to make changes to rectify a gender imbalance across the organisation.

Independent

That "deductions holiday" period expired at the start of last month.

The Guardian - Business

It was Gow's first goal for Blackpool following his loan transfer from Rangers at the start of last month.

The Guardian - Sport

More than 230 people have died on Everest, and a third of them have been Sherpas – the latest, Mingmar Sherpa, at the start of last month.

The Guardian

Barry left Villa to join City in a £12m switch at the start of last month despite long-known interest from Liverpool.

The Guardian - Sport

Sturridge, 26, only returned to training last week after suffering a knee injury in the build up to Klopp's first game in charge against Tottenham at the start of last month.

The Guardian - Sport

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

37 human-written examples

• Since the start of last September, the Red Sox have lost 28 of 39 games.

The New York Times - Sports

The SEC has received 474 letters of protest against such a change since the start of last October, more than it usually gets in a year.

The Economist

When you watch the video from the start of last February's Empire State Building Run-Up, an 86-story stair race, one man stands out.

The New York Times - Magazine

During the worst of the 2008 panic, from the start of last September through Oct. 10, the market lost nearly a third of its value.

The New York Times

According to figures from the overseas mortgage specialist Conti, a €200,000 property would now cost £165,289, compared with £175,439 at the start of last August.

The Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "start of last month", ensure the context is clear and unambiguous to avoid confusion about the specific time period being referenced. For example, if you're writing in mid-December, readers will understand you are talking about early November.

Common error

Avoid using "start of last month" when you need to be precise about dates. It's better to specify the exact date or week, especially if you're referring to a specific event or deadline. This eliminates any potential ambiguity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "start of last month" functions as a temporal adverbial phrase, specifying the time frame in which an event occurred. As Ludwig AI confirms, this is a grammatically correct and understandable usage.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Sport

18%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Academia

2%

Science

3%

Encyclopedias

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "start of last month" is a common and grammatically correct way to refer to the early part of the previous month. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English. While generally neutral in tone, it's most frequently found in news and media contexts. For greater precision, consider specifying the exact date. Alternatives include "early last month" or "beginning of last month". Remember to ensure clarity when using this phrase to avoid any ambiguity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

beginning of last month

A more general and slightly less common synonym.

early last month

Focuses on the 'early' part of the month, rather than just the beginning.

first week of last month

Specifies the timeframe to the first seven days of the previous month.

at the top of last month

Emphasizes the initial point in time.

in early part of last month

Similar to 'early last month', but more descriptive.

the first few days of last month

Explicitly refers to the initial days of the month.

around the first of last month

Indicates an approximate timeframe near the first day.

the initial days of last month

Highlights a period covering the first few days.

the month prior, starting

Changes the structure to emphasize the 'month prior'.

last month's commencement

Uses more formal vocabulary to denote the beginning.

FAQs

What's the difference between "start of last month" and "beginning of last month"?

The phrases "start of last month" and "beginning of last month" are largely interchangeable and mean the same thing: the initial period of the previous month.

How to use "start of last month" in a sentence?

You can use "start of last month" to indicate when something happened relative to the current date. For example, "The project began at the start of last month".

What can I say instead of "start of last month"?

You can use alternatives like "early last month", "first week of last month", or simply specify the month (e.g. "early "November"") depending on the context.

Is it more formal to say "start of last month" or "beginning of last month"?

Neither phrase is particularly more formal than the other. Both are suitable for most general writing and conversation, although "beginning of last month" might sound slightly more formal.