linking phrase · informal
to begin with
/tuː bɪˈɡɪn wɪð/to be·GIN with
speakingtask2
used to start a list of points or reasons; slightly more conversational
Examples
“To begin with, we need to consider the environmental impact.”
“To begin with, I didn't like the job, but it grew on me.”
“To begin with, the statistics show a clear upward trend.”
Band 8 sentence
“To begin with, inadequate infrastructure is the primary barrier to sustainable urban development.”
Collocations
- To begin with, ___
- To begin with the main issue
Word family
begin verbbeginning noun
Common mistakes
Begin with, I think that...→To begin with, I think that...
Beginning with, the project failed.→To begin with, the project failed.
Say it for a higher band
5first→6first of all→7+to begin with
Synonyms
first of all
firstly
Easily confused
at the outset
“At the outset, we were unsure whether the plan would work.”
Related words
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In Sequence
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