start of year

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "start of year" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when referring to the beginning of a calendar year or fiscal year. Example: "We will review our goals at the start of year." Alternative expressions include "beginning of the year" and "year's start."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

32 human-written examples

At the start of Year Two, crankiness rules.

The New York Times

And what you usually find is by the start of year two, you are naturally integrating.

The New York Times

Paul Casey The year's highest climber, up more than 50 places since start of year to 24.

Independent

A tough choice and a lively topic for discussion that families and teachers have from the start of year three.

The Guardian

I told my best friend at the start of year 9 that I had a feeling I might be gay.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

To pass the easiest maths entrance exam, children need to be level 5 mathematicians at the start of year 6, which puts crushing pressure on them.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

27 human-written examples

Even in that case, G.M. will still be able to add the $200 million to its pretax profit, because accounting rules require companies to include their start-of-year pension assumptions in their end-of-year financial results, even if the assumptions turn out to be wrong.

The New York Times

If this is true, we can expect a press conference in mid-January and a release date of February or March, which is line with Apple's traditional start-of-year releases.

TechCrunch

It increasingly seems that there is no point in the year where a festival is off the cards, and with The Winter Social taking place inside a huge warehouse space, with everything completely covered, it's surely the perfect antidote to any start-of-year wintery blues that might be setting in.

Vice

Or the snow signals the start of year-end clearance sales at dealerships.

The New York Times

The invasion led to the overthrow of the country's dictator Saddam Hussein, marking the start of years of violent conflict with different groups competing for power.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about trends or changes, use "since the "start of year"" to indicate a clear starting point for your analysis. For example, "The stock market has been volatile since the "start of year"".

Common error

Be mindful that "start of year" can refer to either the calendar year (January 1st) or a fiscal year. Always clarify which period you are referencing to avoid confusion. For instance, "start of the 2025 fiscal year."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "start of year" primarily functions as a temporal marker, indicating a specific point in time. Ludwig shows that it is used to denote the beginning of a calendar year or a fiscal year. It often sets a reference point for discussing trends, changes, or goals.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Science

25%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Academia

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "start of year" is a common and grammatically correct phrase used to mark the beginning of either a calendar year or a fiscal year. Ludwig indicates that it serves as a temporal marker and is frequently employed in News & Media, Science, and Formal & Business contexts. Alternatives include "beginning of the year" or "outset of the year". When using this phrase, clarity is key; always ensure your audience understands whether you are referring to the calendar year or a fiscal year to avoid ambiguity. As Ludwig AI found out, the phrase follows standard grammar rules and it's appropriate for most situations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

beginning of the year

This alternative is a direct synonym, replacing "start" with "beginning"

year's beginning

This alternative changes the structure to possessive form

outset of the year

This alternative replaces "start" with "outset", indicating the very commencement of the year

commencement of the year

This alternative uses a more formal word for start

opening of the year

This alternative uses "opening" instead of "start" referring to the initial period

January first

This alternative specifies the exact date marking the beginning of the year

new year's day

This alternative is a specific term for the first day of the year

first part of the year

This alternative broadens the time frame to include the initial months

early part of the year

This alternative is less precise than "start" and refers to the initial months

initial phase of the year

This alternative employs more formal language to denote the year's beginning

FAQs

How do I use "start of year" in a sentence?

You can use "start of year" to refer to the beginning of a calendar or fiscal year. For example, "We set our goals at the "start of year"" or "Sales have increased since the "start of year"".

What's an alternative to using "start of year"?

Alternatives include "beginning of the year", "outset of the year", or specifying the month such as "January" depending on the context.

Does "start of year" always refer to January 1st?

No, "start of year" can refer to the beginning of a fiscal year, which varies depending on the organization or country. Always provide context to avoid ambiguity.

Is it correct to say "since the start of the year"?

Yes, "since the "start of the year"" is grammatically correct and commonly used to indicate a period from the beginning of the year until the present time.