Example sentences of "[was/were] the first time " in BNC.
Next page| No | Sentence |
|---|---|
| 1 | The balance of trade in manufacturing swung from a surplus of £2.75 billion in 1979 to a deficit in 1984 of £3.75 billion and the years 1983 and 1984 were the first time in history that Britain 's trade balance was in the red on manufactures . |
| 2 | After a while the whistle is repeated — by the same blackbird or by its mate — but always as if this were the first time it had occurred to him to whistle ; if this is a dialogue , each remark is uttered after long reflection . |
| 3 | It were the first time I ever heard him do it . |
| 4 | Wins in Lithuania and Latvia were the first time Northern Ireland recorded two consecutive victories in World Cup matches . |
| 5 | It was the first time our national and international network had gathered together in one place and made us all realise just how much the work has grown . ’ |
| 6 | That was the first time I 'd seen a man 's penis so clearly and my mouth and throat went dry . |
| 7 | Perhaps because this was the first time I was all alone in a big city in a new country . |
| 8 | This was the first time the phrase Scenic Land Cruise had been used by a train operator — but it certainly was not the last . |
| 9 | As Elijah Moshinsky looked out from the roof-top coffee shop of the plush hotel overlooking Plymouth Hoe — in which he is ensconced during rehearsals of Shadowlands — he confessed that this was the first time he had been to Plymouth in his life . |
| 10 | Mr Deng has repeatedly promised to retire in recent years , but yesterday was the first time he had reissued the pledge since the Tiananmen Square massacre and a shake-up of the party leadership . |
| 11 | When the latest decision became known last night , Peter said that it was encouraging for Mansell , the Ferrari lawyer pointing out that this was the first time that the FIA had not confirmed a decision . |
| 12 | Indeed , this week was the first time that Graf had joined up with Kohde-Kilsch since the Olympics . |
| 13 | The trial of Mr Subono and Mr Nugroho was the first time in many years that the law was used to try ‘ leftists ’ rather than Muslim activists . |
| 14 | It was the first time Yusupov has ever beaten Karpov , and leaves the scores level with three games left to play . |
| 15 | This was the first time I had seen him since the landings . |
| 16 | This was the first time she had come into my thoughts since I left England . |
| 17 | That was the first time I 'd had any money out of gigging in a year . |
| 18 | It was the first time we 'd had proper monitors on stage — which meant it was the first time John heard his own voice . |
| 19 | It was the first time we 'd had proper monitors on stage — which meant it was the first time John heard his own voice . |
| 20 | It was a very difficult period , because whereas retrenchment and redundancy are now something employees understand and accept , this was the first time it had ever happened in ICI since the war . |
| 21 | Running the film group for ICI gave Haslam particular pleasure because it was the first time he had ever been fully in charge of a business , which he found very challenging . |
| 22 | This was the first time this season that the number one Mercedes , which suffered all weekend from a curious instability on the bumpiest section of the 2.75 mile track , did not start a WSPC race from the front row . |
| 23 | Brian , a twenty-year-old draughtsman , had seen it all before , but it was the first time for Jane , his nineteen-year-old wife , whose daytime job is as a telephonist . |
| 24 | I do not know if it was the first time since his appointment as executive chef at the Carlton Tower in 1968 , but I do know it was a rare occurrence to see him even emerge from his kitchen , let alone dine . |
| 25 | In practice , she learnt to ski ; but it was the first time she had been away from her friends and family , the first time she had been on a plane , the first time she had been abroad , and she was desperately unhappy . |
| 26 | It was the first time that such an offer had ever been made ; initially , he was loath to put his sketches on public display — but he was also flattered . |
| 27 | It was the first time since her death that he had been able to think of it with anything like acceptance . |
| 28 | The Home Secretary 's reserve powers were not intended to be used frequently and this was the first time they had been used . |
| 29 | It was the first time that night Bob had displayed any real emotion . |
| 30 | Mr Jack Straw , Labour 's shadow education secretary , said last night that it was the first time in his 10 years in Parliament that responsibility for piloting such an important piece of legislation through committee had been left to such junior departmental politicians . |