Initially means at first, at the beginning, originally. It describes how things were at the very start, usually before you say what changed later: Initially the plan seemed simple. The word is a little more formal than at first and sounds good in essays, reports and IELTS Writing Task 1.
How would you use initially?
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Initially, + situation at the start, but/then + change; be + initially + adjective/past participle; initially + verb
- Initially, the course was planned for twenty students, but over sixty people signed up.
- I was initially nervous about living abroad, but I settled in within a month.
- The number of visitors initially rose, then fell sharply after 2015.
What changed
First versionInitially, cycling is cheaper than driving. Secondly, it is good for your health.
RevisionFirstly, cycling is cheaper than driving. Secondly, it is good for your health.
Initially sounds like initial, meaning “first”, so people put it before their first argument in place of firstly. But initially is about time: how things were at the start, until something changed. Initially, cycling is cheaper sounds like “at first, cycling is cheaper”, as if that's going to change. The first item in a list is introduced with Firstly.
Initially and at first mean almost the same: Initially, I didn't like the city. At first is simpler and more common in conversation, initially in writing and reports. There's also originally: it stresses a starting state that no longer exists: The building was originally a factory.
Your turn
The tickets were ___ cheap, but the price doubled when the band became famous.
Show the answer
initially — This is about how things were at the very start: the tickets were cheap until the band became famous. That's initially. Firstly introduces the first item in a list, and there's no list here, just a story about how the price changed.
Describe a plan that changed over time: a move, a job or your studies. Use initially to say what you first planned, and say how it all turned out.
I initially planned to study law in Moscow, but after a summer internship I switched to economics and moved to Kazan.
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