linking phrase · neutral
To begin with
/tə bɪˈɡɪn wɪð/to·be·GIN·with
Used to introduce the first point or reason, often in spoken or less formal written English.
Examples
“To begin with, public transport in my city is unreliable.”
“To begin with, the tuition fee is too high.”
“To begin with, I think the research question needs refining.”
Band 8 sentence
“To begin with, improving school facilities would directly enhance student achievement.”
Collocations
- To begin with, ...
- To begin with + clause
Word family
Common mistakes
Begin with, the city has many problems.→To begin with, the city has many problems.
To begin, I will discuss the data.→To begin with, I will discuss the data.
Say it for a higher band
5Begin with→6First of all→7+To begin with
Synonyms
first
Easily confused
Firstly
“To begin with, there are three main barriers to adoption.”
Related words
Learn this word with the rest of its set, and get reminded at the right time.
In Emphasis & conclusion
Learn it with its set