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   Tutor Welcome to MicroEnglish. This B2 lesson starts with a flat
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   Tutor that seems perfect: bright rooms, big windows,
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   Tutor and space for your desk. Would you take it? Today
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   Tutor we'll use at first glance to describe that early impression,
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   Tutor before a closer look gives us more information.
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   Tutor You step inside and immediately imagine living here. At
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   Tutor first glance, the flat looks perfect. The phrase means
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   Tutor judging from a quick first look, before examining the details.
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   Tutor You're reporting an impression, so your words leave room for
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    Tutor something you haven't noticed yet.
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    Tutor Then you move a chair and spot damp on the wall. A
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    Tutor train passes just outside. At first glance, the flat
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    Tutor looked perfect, but now you're less sure. Notice how the
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    Tutor later evidence changes the judgement. The first impression
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    Tutor was understandable, but it wasn't the whole picture.
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    Tutor These are three stages of one judgement, not three meanings.
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    Tutor Start with what seems true, investigate, then decide
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    Tutor again. At first glance marks the first stage. It
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    Tutor often prepares listeners for a contrast, although your closer
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    Tutor inspection might also confirm what you originally thought.
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    Tutor Keep at first glance unchanged. The verb
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    Tutor carries the tense: seems now, seemed in the past.
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    Tutor You can put the phrase before the main statement or after it.
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    Tutor At the beginning, a comma usually separates it from the rest
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    Tutor of the sentence.
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    Tutor Listen to the whole thought: at first glance, it looks ideal.
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    Tutor Keep the opening phrase flowing, with a small pause before
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    Tutor the judgement. Don't add an article: at the first glance
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    Tutor isn't the usual form of this expression. Practise the three
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    Tutor words together.
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    Tutor A useful follow-up gives actual evidence. At first
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    Tutor glance, it looked ideal, but the walls were damp. But introduces
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    Tutor the contrast; on closer inspection can do the same job in
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    Tutor a separate sentence. You don't need both every time you use
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    Tutor the expression.
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    Tutor Compare at first glance with at first. At
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    Tutor first glance, the controls looked confusing describes a quick
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    Tutor assessment. At first, I kept pressing the wrong button describes
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    Tutor an early period of using them. Choose according to your meaning:
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    Tutor an initial impression or an initial stage.
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    Tutor The phrase also works with rules, plans and ideas.
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    Tutor At first glance, the rules seem complicated. Perhaps
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    Tutor reading one example makes them clear. It's neutral enough for
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    Tutor everyday conversation and work discussions. Use it when the
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    Tutor limited nature of your first assessment matters.
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    Tutor Now listen to four conversations. Focus on the first impression
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    Tutor and any evidence that follows. Choose what you can infer
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    Tutor from the speakers' words. Try without captions first;
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    Tutor after the explanation, you'll hear the same conversation again.
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    Tutor George and Alice are choosing furniture. Listen for the detail
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    Tutor that could affect their decision.
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    George What do you think of this desk?
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    George At first glance, it looks just right. But have you measured
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    Alice our doorway?
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    Alice Good point. The desk is wider than I thought.
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    Tutor Alice likes its appearance, but asks whether the doorway
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    Tutor has been measured. George realises the desk is wider than he
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    Tutor thought, so it might not fit through.
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    George What do you think of this desk?
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    George At first glance, it looks just right. But have you measured
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    Alice our doorway?
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    Alice Good point. The desk is wider than I thought.
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    Tutor Roger and Jessica are reviewing a chart at work. What detail
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    Tutor does Jessica notice?
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    Roger At first glance, sales look much
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    Roger better.
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    Roger Wait. This bar covers a month, but that one
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    Jessica covers two weeks.
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    Jessica Let's compare the daily figures instead.
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    Tutor The periods have different lengths. A full month and two weeks
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    Tutor aren't directly comparable, so the chart alone doesn't prove
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    Tutor daily sales improved.
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    Roger At first glance, sales look much
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    Roger better.
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    Roger Wait. This bar covers a month, but that one
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    Jessica covers two weeks.
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    Jessica Let's compare the daily figures instead.
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    Tutor Two friends are looking at a walking route. What changes
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    Tutor their view of the walk?
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    Alice At first glance, this route looks easy.
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    Alice Only five kilometres.
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    Alice Look at the hill, though. Half the route is a steep
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    George climb.
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    George Then we'd better allow more time.
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    Tutor A steep climb changes their view. The short distance seemed
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    Tutor manageable, but George points out that they will be climbing
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    Tutor for much of it.
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    Alice At first glance, this route looks easy.
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    Alice Only five kilometres.
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    Alice Look at the hill, though. Half the route is a steep
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    George climb.
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    George Then we'd better allow more time.
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    Tutor Jessica has reviewed Roger's event plan. Listen
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    Tutor for whether her opinion changed.
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    Roger Did you check my event plan?
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    Roger Yes. At first glance, it looked sensible.
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    Jessica I've checked the timing, and I still think so.
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    Jessica Great. I'll book the room.
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    Tutor Her positive impression was confirmed. The words still
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     Tutor think so show that checking the timing supported her first
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     Tutor judgement.
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     Roger Did you check my event plan?
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     Roger Yes. At first glance, it looked sensible.
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     Jessica I've checked the timing, and I still think so.
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     Jessica Great. I'll book the room.
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     Tutor Your turn. Finish this aloud: at first glance,
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     Tutor the café looked tiny, but... Imagine what you found inside.
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     Tutor You could mention a second room or a garden. Make the new
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     Tutor detail explain why your first impression changed.
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     Tutor Does the first impression have to be wrong? No.
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     Tutor Remember the event plan: checking supported it. Do
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     Tutor you need but? No, though a contrast is common.
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     Tutor And the phrase can describe an idea or proposal, as well
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     Tutor as something you physically see.
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     Tutor For form, remember at, with no article. The
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     Tutor tone is neutral. One nearby expression is at a
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     Tutor glance: a clear timetable lets you see departure times
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     Tutor at a glance. That emphasises seeing information quickly;
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     Tutor at first glance emphasises the initial impression.
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     Tutor Visit this lesson on MicroEnglish dot com for interactive
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     Tutor dictation: listen, type what you hear, and check the words.
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     Tutor The AI tutor can help with your own examples. Your first dictation
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     Tutor is free; further practice and tutor access depend on membership
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     Tutor and available credits.
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     Tutor Write a comment about something that surprised you after a
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     Tutor closer look. Use at first glance, then add
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     Tutor the detail that changed your mind. Ask any questions you have
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     Tutor about the phrase, too. Thanks for joining me today.

Choose an answer for each question, then check it.

1. Question 1

   Why does a speaker begin a statement with 'at first glance'?

   A To share an early judgment formed before examining details carefully. B To prove that they spent hours researching every aspect of the topic. C To state with absolute certainty that something is permanently broken.
   Check my answer Chat with the tutor