Learn English – How to say the first time doing something, ten years ago

expressionsgrammarphrases

I know this might be simple, I just can’t solve it with google.

1. The first time I went to America is ten years ago.

2. I went to America for the first time ten years ago.

The use of for the first time is what I found on google, but I don’t know, that sounds a little weird to me.

Best Answer

  1. The first time I went to America is ten years ago.

Example #1 here has one mistake -- The event of you going to America occurred in the past, and so the verb "is" must be conjugated in the past tense. Therefore:

The first time I went to America was ten years ago.

...and as for the other example:

  1. I went to America for the first time ten years ago.

This is actually correct.

Consider the following as an introductory sentence structure, as well:

Ten years ago, I went to America for the first time.

EDIT: Thanks to Edwin Ashworth for the point-out/correction.

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