First example sentences

"First" Example Sentences

The first time I saw her, I knew something was different.
You have to learn to walk before you can run — first things first.
She didn't answer on the first call, which was unusual.
He came in first place in the marathon, beating his personal record.
My first instinct was to say no, but I'm glad I didn't.
The first rule of this job is to show up on time.
I'll never forget my first day of college — absolute chaos.
Can we talk about the elephant in the room first, please?
When did you first realize you wanted to quit?
The first thing I do every morning is check my phone — sad but true.
She was the first in her family to go to university.
At first, nobody believed him, but the evidence was there.
The first half of the movie was brilliant, then it fell apart.
I met him first at a coffee shop, completely by accident.
Your first impression matters more than you think.
The first winter in the new house was brutal.
He always puts his kids first, no matter what.
The first sign of trouble was when the lights went out.
I've read that book at least three times — first time was in high school.
The first person to arrive gets the best parking spot.
She took a deep breath and said the first thing that came to mind.
The first year of marriage is supposedly the hardest.
When you first start therapy, everything feels weird.
The first draft is always garbage — everyone knows that.
He was the first to admit he'd made a mistake.
The first time you fail at something, it stings.
I didn't like her at first, but she grew on me.
The first week after the breakup was the worst.
You should always read the instructions first, but nobody does.
The first thing she noticed was that he wasn't wearing his ring.

Common Phrases

first and foremost
at first
first things first
first time
first place
first impression
first instinct
come first
first hand
first aid
first class
first draft
first name
first rate
first light

Examples by Level

My first name is Sarah.
The first day of school was scary.

When I first arrived in the city, I was completely lost.
She came first in the race and everyone cheered.

At first, I thought the job was going to be easy, but it turned out to be way more complicated.
The first time you travel alone, you realize how much you've been depending on other people.

Looking back, the first warning signs were there all along — we just chose to ignore them.
She'd always put her career first, which meant relationships never stood a chance.

The first principle of good writing is to understand that clarity matters far more than cleverness.
What strikes you as important in your first encounter with a new culture often reveals more about yourself than about the culture.

There's something peculiarly human about the way we reconstruct our first memories, editing them until they become less about what happened and more about who we wanted to be.
The first instinct of power is always to consolidate itself — everything else is merely justification.

Examples by Scenario

🏠 Everyday Life

The first thing I heard this morning was my neighbor's dog barking at six in the morning.
I can't believe this is the first time we've hung out in like two years.

💼 Workplace

On my first day, nobody told me where the bathroom was, so I wandered around looking lost for twenty minutes.
The first meeting with the new boss was awkward — she kept asking questions nobody could answer.

📊 Business

Our first quarter numbers were disappointing, but we're expecting a turnaround in Q2.
The first product launch went better than expected, and we've already got preorders for the next model.

🛒 Buying / Shopping

The first time I bought organic groceries, I nearly fainted at the checkout.
I'm looking for a first-time homebuyer's guide because I have no idea what I'm doing.

✈️ Travel

My first trip to Japan was overwhelming in the best possible way.
The first hotel we booked turned out to be in a sketchy neighborhood, so we left after one night.

📚 Education

The first assignment in the class was to write about your biggest failure.
She's been dreading her first day of high school since last summer.

❤️ Relationships

I still remember the first time he said he loved me — I panicked and changed the subject.
The first argument we had was about something stupid, but it revealed how we actually handle conflict.

📰 News / Politics

The first reports came in around midnight, and by morning it was everywhere.
The candidate's first policy proposal focused on education reform, which surprised most analysts.

💻 Technology

The first smartphone I owned was a brick compared to what we have now.
When I first started using AI tools, I thought they were going to replace writers — I was wrong.

📝 Formal Writing

The first section of the report outlines the methodology used in the study.
In the first instance, the committee recommended a phased approach to implementation.