time to start

Meanings

1. 1phrasefixed phrase

   The moment or point when an activity, event, or process should begin.

   Grammar: Used as a noun phrase: It's time to start. Can also be used with for: time to start for someone.

   Patterns

   • it's time to start
   • time to start something
   • time to start doing something

   The meeting is at nine, so it's time to start now.

   After months of planning, it was finally time to start building the house.

   The teacher looked at the clock and said, 'It's time to start the test.'

2. 2phrasefixed phrase

   A suitable or appropriate moment for beginning something, often after waiting.

   Grammar: Often used with a possessive: my time to start, your time to start.

   Patterns

   • someone's time to start
   • the right time to start
   • not the time to start

   This is not the time to start an argument.

   She felt it was her time to start a new career.

   Is this really the best time to start a renovation?

Common combinations

it's time to start

It's time to start the meeting.

time to start over

After the mistake, they decided it was time to start over.

time to start thinking about

It's time to start thinking about next year's budget.

the right time to start

Spring is the right time to start planting.

Synonyms and how they differ

moment to begin

Moment to begin is more formal and less common; time to start is the everyday phrase.

point to start

Point to start is used in technical contexts and sounds more precise; time to start is more general.

Opposites

Word family

start verb

To begin doing something.

start noun

The beginning of something.

Commonly confused: time to start or time to start?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “time to start”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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