At first means in the beginning, at the start of a situation that later changed. That is why but or then usually follows: At first I hated the city, but now I love it.
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at first + clause, but/then + clause; clause + at first; first, + step/point
- At first I felt nervous at my new job, but my colleagues were very supportive.
- The flat seemed small at first, but it's actually very well planned.
- Many students find IELTS Writing confusing at first, but regular practice helps.
What changed
First versionAt first, cut the onions, then fry them in a little oil.
RevisionFirst, cut the onions, then fry them in a little oil.
At first only describes how things were in the beginning, and the listener expects to hear that something changed later. It does not introduce the first step of a process. In a recipe or instructions, the first step starts with First, so the correction replaces At first with First.
First and firstly introduce the first step or the first argument: Firstly, cars pollute the air. First of all means “before anything else”. At first sight means “the moment you first see someone or something”: love at first sight. At first on its own describes how things were in the beginning, before they changed.
Your turn
___, I found the Scottish accent hard to understand, but after a few months it became easy.
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At first — The second half says that it later became easy, so the situation changed. That is the meaning “in the beginning”, so At first fits. Firstly introduces the first point in a list, and there is no list here.
Think of how your attitude to something changed: a job, a city, a dish. Write what you thought at first and what you think now.
At first I thought sushi was strange, but now it's one of my favourite meals.
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