initially

Everyday

1. Initially means at the beginning, at first, before anything changed. tree →
2. It can also show that a first plan or idea was later changed: Initially he said no, but then he said yes. tree →

In the lessons

In maths, marks the starting amount before the changes in a story; the question «how many initially» means the start number. In science, the initial state is how things were before an experiment. In everyday life and stories, it shows a change of mind or of a situation. Phrases: «at first», «in the beginning», «to begin with» mean the same; the adjective is initial.

Examples

• Initially, Sam had 20 marbles. tree →
• How many did she have initially? tree →
• Initially the tank held 50 litres. tree →
• Initially there were 12 birds on the tree. tree →
• Initially I was scared of the dog, but now we are friends. tree →
• The plant was initially 5 cm tall and grew 2 cm a week. tree →
• Initially the team lost, but they won the second half. tree →
• Initially the water was cold; after an hour it was warm. tree →

Note

Adjective: initial («the initial amount»); also a noun: initials are the first letters of your names. Tells which number is the start. When the question asks for the initial amount, work backwards: undo each change (add back what was taken, take away what was added). Trap: do not give the end amount.