This week I wrote a lesson about using "Firstly, Secondly, Finally", and a student asked me whether it's ok to use "at last" instead of "finally".
The answer is no. "Finally" and "at last" are not used in the same way.
Use "finally" in the IELTS writing test when you want to make your final point, or to talk about the final stage in a process e.g. Finally, as well as making life more fun and interesting, new experiences can be good for our physical and mental health. (taken from this lesson)
Only use "at last" when you have been waiting for a long time for something to happen e.g. At last I've passed the IELTS exam!
Whereas this is a repeated lesson, you have a big positive effect on me !!!
Thank you, I am deeply grateful to you.
Posted by: Fira | March 30, 2013 at 18:20
Hi Simon
Can we use 'lastly' in place of finally ?
Posted by: Anamika | March 31, 2013 at 07:38
thank you very much, it's a great help
Posted by: wenjie | April 01, 2013 at 06:59
Sir Simon and colleagues,
How about 'firstly' and 'at first', is it same or differ in terms of their application?
Posted by: semenchu | April 01, 2013 at 16:12
FROM SIMON:
'Lastly' has the same meaning as 'finally', but I wouldn't use 'lastly' in an IELTS essay. I'd use it in a speech.
'Firstly' and 'at first' are NOT the same. 'Firstly' is used to order points, whereas 'at first' is used when you tell a story (e.g. at first I was worried about living in a different country, but now I'm used to it)
Posted by: Simon | April 01, 2013 at 18:42
Thank you so much Simon.
Posted by: Anamika | April 02, 2013 at 09:47
Hi Simon,
Can you use the Firstly, Secondly and Finally when you are giving the reason why you are disagreeing to the topic?
Thank you,
Posted by: gee | April 08, 2013 at 08:15
Hi Simon,
Could you do me a favour? I usually see this grammar point in media and news, but i do not understand it. Could you clarify why the author add "ing" to verb "make" in the following piece of article:
"Chetty is only 33, making him an unusually young winner, even for an award with an upper age limit, and it comes hot on the heels of his MacArthur “Genius” Grant, announced last fall."
I wonder about this rule of grammar and look for on some websites, but it is explained not clearly. Is it a imformal usage? Hopelully, you can help. By the time, your website which i have followed for several months is extremely useful for my study. Thanks.
P/s: i'm sorry to post here, because i can not find wherever possible.
Posted by: Duong | April 15, 2013 at 16:50
Thank you very much Simon.
Posted by: Dan | October 07, 2014 at 02:28
can "finally" be like an expression?
ex. Finally! You came.
Posted by: nikki | April 08, 2018 at 16:54
Hi
Is this structure right?
let me know at last by 10 o'clock.
Thanks in advance,
Posted by: Iman | August 02, 2018 at 06:39