Example sentences of "[vb past] at first be " in BNC.
Next page| No | Sentence |
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| 1 | One of the areas I looked at first was the so-called ancillary services — that is cleaning , catering and laundry . |
| 2 | In appearance he was a tall and forbidding character , whom Cleo thought at first was rather too grim of face . |
| 3 | Its presence had at first been derided by the national brewers but its campaigning zeal attracted continual media attention and many independent brewers had been encouraged to return to cask beer production with enthusiasm . |
| 4 | Herbert had at first been reluctant to believe that it was better for John to study dance in Cape Town than to return to high school in Johannesburg . |
| 5 | The societies , which had at first been purely local became national , with branches throughout Britain . |
| 6 | Irwin , of course , refused , and Gandhi , whose reaction to Irwin 's initiative had at first been positive , announced that a campaign of civil disobedience would begin . |
| 7 | He also called for a full investigation into Orkney 's Social Work Department , and the RSSPCC whose involvement was turning out to be very much more fundamental than had at first been supposed . |
| 8 | Harriet , who had hardly had a day 's illness in her life — unless she counted a bad attack of shingles some years previously — had at first been inclined to ignore her husband 's remarks . |
| 9 | At the barrier at Gatwick , I was met by a friendly policeman who told me that the injuries were not as bad as had at first been thought , and that none of my family was in danger — news which immediately reduced me to tears . |
| 10 | Dawn had at first been reluctant to get off my glove , so I 'd developed the habit of swinging my arm with the wind , hoping to encourage her to fly . |
| 11 | The colonies had at first been left to look after themselves because the king had no money to spare for defending them nor any forces he could send across the Atlantic , but after 1650 it was accepted that the colonies had a right to expect to be protected against European attack , though not against Indian or other local problems . |
| 12 | Froebe had at first been surprised , thinking of how many people would kill to get a posting to the tropics . |
| 13 | Approval of the treaty had at first been opposed by West Germany 's Social Democratic Party ( SPD ) on the grounds that it offered inadequate protection for East German industry , and that environmental guarantees were insufficient . |
| 14 | Emerging as the main beneficiary of the division within Solidarity , Tyminski had at first been considered a rank outsider and was thus largely ignored by the media and other candidates , but began to attract support with claims that he was untarnished by past politics and that as a self-made millionaire he had the economic acumen to transform the Polish economy . |
| 15 | The demonstration had at first been banned by the Moscow city soviet . |
| 16 | Derek Hampson , assistant manager of the RSPCA home , said : ‘ The dog was much older than we had at first been informed and he was very sick . |
| 17 | Sources close to the talks said this idea had at first been opposed by Iran and Nigeria . |