Meaning & use
a good start
Last updated
Meaning
phrasecountable
A positive beginning to an activity, event, or period, which makes success more likely.
Grammar: Countable: 'a good start', 'a better start'. Often used with 'get off to' or 'make'.
Patterns
- get off to a good start
- make a good start
- have a good start
The team got off to a good start by scoring in the first minute.
Learning the basics is a good start, but you need more practice.
She made a good start on her essay and finished it early.
Common combinations
- get off to a good start
- We got off to a good start on the project.
- make a good start
- He made a good start in his new job.
- a good start to the day
- A healthy breakfast is a good start to the day.
- a good start in life
- A loving family gives a child a good start in life.
Synonyms and how they differ
- promising beginning
- More formal and suggests future success, while 'a good start' is neutral and common.
- positive beginning
- Similar meaning but slightly more formal.
Opposites
Commonly confused: a good start or a head start?
a good start vs a head start
A head start is an advantage you have before others begin; a good start is simply a positive beginning.
Practice
Complete the sentence: 'The project got off to ___ start.'
Choose one answer.
The phrase is 'get off to a good start'. 'A' is needed because 'start' is a singular countable noun here. The other options are ungrammatical.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “a good start”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.