should be done at first vs should be done firstly

Both phrases are correct, but 'should be done firstly' is less common in English. 'Should be done at first' is a more commonly used phrase to indicate that something should be done as the initial step.

Last updated: March 25, 2024 • 2805 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

"should be done at first"

This phrase is used to indicate that something should be done as the initial step or as a priority.

Examples:

The research should be done at first before any conclusions are drawn.
The safety checks should be done at first to ensure the equipment is working properly.

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I do not think that this should be done in the first instance.
The old fool didn't realize what he had done at first, nor the terrible revenge the Bishop would take.
This should be done in the first instance in the major categories of expenditure: agriculture, the Structural Funds and administration.
It remains to be done first.
They'll be done first, followed by the recipients.
But still, stuff like this has to be done first with Yoon Jae.
There's work to be done first and much to think about.
Thus it will only be a sort of walk through, given everything that will have to be done first.
On 10 April, at first reading, I insisted that more should be done about asbestos than the Commission had proposed.
This needs only to be done the first time that the bottle is opened.
The Belgian Presidency must therefore deal with this matter, it cannot escape it, but the preparatory work must be done first.
The consecutive treatment should be done at the same time each day.
There are some things that can and should be done at a European level.
That does not mean that everything should be done at EU level.
This should be done at the next European Summit meeting with Russia.
Then we will discover that very little should be done at EU level.
What should not be done is first to collect money and then wonder what it can be spent on.
The morning after, the cook caught his first dorado... and I didn't understand what he had done at first, but Mother did... and I had never seen Mother so angry.
She's got it in her head that this should be done at home.
Therefore if any blood samples are taken from a patient, this should be done at least 16 hours after the most recent FORSTEO injection.

Alternatives:

should be done first
should be the first thing done
should be the initial step
should be the starting point
should be the primary task

This phrase is correct but less common in English.

"should be done firstly"

This phrase is also used to indicate that something should be done as the initial step, but it is less frequently used compared to 'should be done at first'.

Examples:

The presentation should be done firstly to set the context for the discussion.
The preparation should be done firstly to ensure a smooth process.

Show examples from the web [+]

This is being done firstly by shifting the emphasis from own-account business to customer-related activities.
In practice, this was done firstly by rebaptising C.173 as C.180, the larger of the vessels ordered by the shipowner, secondly by asking for substantial changes to C.180's basic structural specifications, and, finally, by revoking the contract for C.173.
I emphasise that this work must firstly be done in the Member States, for it is there that the people are building Europe.
This should be done in agreement with Airport Users Committees.
How exactly that should be done is currently under debate.
Cops should be done by now.
Some things should be done without magic.
Dosage increase should be done with caution.
Recruitment of immigrant workers should be done selectively.
Initial experiments should be done on growing cells.
Afternoon card game should be done.
However, the question for advanced democracies based on the rule of law always concerns what should be done and how it should be done.
It slows down the resolution of a number of important and sensitive international issues, such as, firstly; what should be done about taxation?
More should be done to provide information of dangers.
Furthermore, if it was cheaper to buy weapons outside Europe, then this should be done.
This submission should be done in full compliance with the timetable given in part 1 - Chapter XIII.
Much more should be done to increase the awareness of the part they play.
The monitoring should be done in cooperation with Social partners and representative NGOs.
If free allowances are provided, this should be done in the context of rigorous benchmarking and performance-based targets.
The clean up should be done before the trees shed their leaves.

Alternatives:

should be done first
should be the first thing done
should be the initial step
should be the starting point
should be the primary task

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should be done at first vs should be done firstly