61 Other Ways to Say First in an Essay (With Examples)

I remember a recent situation when I was chatting with a friend and suddenly came across the topic Other Ways to Say First in an Essay. At that moment, I felt a bit confused and thought to myself, Am I missing something important here? I didn’t want to reply the wrong way or seem unsure, so I decided to pause instead of responding immediately.

Rather than guessing, I chose to learn more about other ways to say first in an essay and understand how these terms are used in writing. As I looked into their meanings and examples, everything became much clearer.

I realized that these expressions are commonly used in essays, articles, and even online discussions, yet many people overlook their importance.

After understanding other ways to say first in an essay, I felt more confident and prepared. Now, whenever I see this topic mentioned in chats or on social media, I know exactly how to respond.

What started as a moment of confusion turned into a valuable learning experience, reminding me how important it is to understand basic writing terms to communicate clearly and confidently.

To Start an Essay Clearly

To begin with
At the beginning
At the start
In the beginning
Initially
To start
At the outset
From the start
Before anything else
As a starting point
At first glance
When starting out
From the very start
As an opening point
In the opening
To open
As a first step
At the first stage
Early on
Right from the start

Listing Points in Order

Firstly
First of all
The first point is
The first idea is
The initial point
The opening point
The first reason
The main starting point
The first step
Step one
The primary point
The first part
The starting idea
The lead point
The top point
The opening idea
The first factor
The first issue
The first element
The first aspect

Formal Essays and Academic Writing

Initially speaking
At the initial stage
In the first place
As a preliminary point
To start the discussion
As an initial argument
From an academic view
At the primary level
As a first consideration
At the first level
As an opening argument
From the outset of this essay
At the introductory stage
As a base point
As the starting argument
At the foundation level
As a first observation
In the early phase
As a starting argument
As a first reference

Storytelling or Narrative Essays

At first
In the beginning of the story
At the very beginning
When it all started
In the early moments
At the start of events
In the first scene
At the opening moment
In the early days
At the start of the journey
In the opening stage
At the first moment
When things began
At the start of the tale
In the first chapter
At the opening stage
Early in the story
At the beginning of events
When it began
From the opening moment

For Simple and Easy Writing

First up
To start off
At the start
First thing
First step
Before all else
Right away
In the first step
To kick things off
At the first point
First idea
Starting point
First part
At the beginning stage
To get started
At the start point
At first step
At the opening
First thought
First moment

Persuasive Essays

The first reason is
One main reason is
The strongest point first
The first key point
The first major idea
One important point
The main point to start
The first strong reason
The leading reason
The primary argument
The first key idea
The opening claim
The first claim
The first major point
One clear reason
The top reason
The first persuasive point
The opening reason
The first supporting idea
The starting claim

Cause and Effect Essays

The first cause
The initial cause
The first effect
The starting cause
The primary cause
The first factor involved
The main cause to start
The earliest cause
The first result
The opening cause
The first outcome
The base cause
The first trigger
The starting effect
The initial factor
The root cause
The first reaction
The first influence
The early cause
The first impact

Compare and Contrast Essays

The first difference
The first similarity
To start comparing
On the first side
The first point of comparison
The first contrast
The first shared point
The first opposing point
The opening comparison
The starting contrast
The first matching point
The first varying point
The first comparison point
The first area of difference
The first common point
The first contrast point
The opening difference
The starting similarity
The first feature
The first trait

For Explanatory Essays

The first explanation
The initial explanation
The first detail
The first part explained
The opening explanation
The first idea explained
The starting explanation
The first point explained
The base explanation
The first concept
The initial idea
The first step explained
The first key detail
The opening detail
The first topic
The starting idea explained
The first thought explained
The first part discussed
The opening concept
The first element explained

Conclusions That Refer Back

The first point discussed
The opening idea mentioned
The first argument made
The first idea presented
The starting point discussed
The opening point reviewed
The first factor covered
The first issue raised
The first reason shared
The opening thought
The first idea covered
The starting argument
The first concept explained
The first detail shared
The opening argument
The first topic discussed
The starting idea mentioned
The first point raised
The opening claim
The first matter discussed

Conclusion:

Finding the right way to say first in an essay can make your writing clearer, smoother, and more engaging. Using varied transitions helps guide the reader and shows strong writing skills.

Words like to begin with, initially, or in the first place can add flow and avoid repetition. The key is to choose options that fit your tone and purpose.

If you are writing an academic essay or a simple assignment, these alternatives help your ideas feel well organized. With the right opening words, your essay starts strong and keeps readers interested from the very beginning.

James Carter

I am James Carter, the voice behind Replysz.com, where words are simple, useful, and real.
I share fresh ideas, smart replies, and trending ways to express yourself better every day.
I started this journey to help people communicate with confidence in all situations.