Below you will find example sentences with "first down". The examples show how this phrase is used in natural context and which words often surround it.

First Down in a sentence

Corpus data

  • Displayed example sentences: 20
  • Discovered as a combination around: down
  • Corpus frequency in the collocation scan: 12
  • Phrase length: 2 words
  • Average sentence length: 29.8 words

Words in this phrase

first down

Meanings of words in this phrase

  • first can mean: Preceding all others of a series or kind; the ordinal of one; earliest. Very common word
  • down can mean: From a higher position to a lower one; downwards. Very common word

Sentence profile

  • Phrase position: 6 start, 7 middle, 7 end
  • Sentence types: 20 statements, 0 questions, 0 exclamations

Usage patterns

These patterns show short text windows around the phrase in the example sentences:

a critical first down and allowed 1× and a first down 1× and gained first down after first 1× at the first down marker and 1× been a first down and they 1× bench signalled first down down 21 1× bengals phantom first down for the 1× city a first down at the 1×

Sentence openings and endings

Common sentence openings:

a short run 1× after preventing west 1× after three quick 1× cumberland gap receiver 1× deshaun watson ran 1× down 13 0 1×

Common sentence endings:

a first down 2× 31 yard line 1× a replay review 1× another first down 1× defense gave ground 1× down 21 0 1×

Context words

These words often appear near this phrase in the example sentences:

fourth 5× play 5× yards 5× ran 4× gave 4× short 3× run 3× ball 3× yard 3× four 3× bengals 3× receiver 3×

Related phrases

shut down first floor first lady first round first inning first leg knocked down first innings first phase sat down

Phrases around this combination

Just before it in the phrase index:

first degree first defendant first debate first class first choice first cause

Just after it in the phrase index:

first edition first element first episode first ever first female first floor

Other phrases with the same pattern

Same start:

first floor first lady first round first inning first leg first innings

Same ending:

shut down knocked down sat down breaks down stepped down slow down

Corpus analysis

  • The phrase "first down" has 2 words and usually appears in the middle in these examples. The average sentence has 29.8 words and is mostly made up of statements.
  • Around this phrase, patterns and context words such as a critical first down and allowed, and a first down, fourth, play and yards stand out.
  • In the phrase index, this combination connects with shut down, first floor and first lady, linking the page to nearby combinations.

Example types with first down

This selection groups the examples by length and sentence type, making usage of the full phrase easier to scan:

Short example sentences

The Crusaders lost seven yards on first down and 10 more yards on second down. (15 words)

The first-down results were perhaps even more impressive — the Horns averaged 8.3 yards per play on first down. (20 words)

Of nine offensive penalties last week, four were on first down and two on fourth down, including two in the red zone. (22 words)

Longer example sentences

In the minds of Philadelphia fans, the Super Bowl loss will be marred by a controversial holding call against Pro Bowl cornerback James Bradberry, which gave Kansas City a critical first down and allowed them to wind down the clock. (40 words)

A short run by Drake helped them get a first down at the 25, but a huge penalty on fourth down negated what would’ve been a first down, and they ended up turning the ball over on downs. (39 words)

Four plays later, on the first play of the second quarter, a pass interference penalty on Sharockman nullified Dawson's third down incompletion and gave Kansas City a first down at the Minnesota 31-yard line. (36 words)

Example sentences (20)

A short run by Drake helped them get a first down at the 25, but a huge penalty on fourth down negated what would’ve been a first down, and they ended up turning the ball over on downs.

Deshaun Watson ran for a first down on that option play and in the middle of the Indy bench signalled first down–down 21-0.

Moon got a first down on a 49-yard pass from Andrew Cross to Jacob Warnagiris, moving to the Peters 30. It was their first first down.

However, Cincinnati kind of abandoned the run after first down, only running it four times on second down, despite being more successful on that down.

They had a series where they ran on first down for a loss of three, ran on second down for a gain of 4 and then threw incomplete short of the sticks on third down.

Free plays, Inconsistent holding calls on both sides of the ball, phantom PI on the Bengals, phantom first down for the Chiefs treating the first down marker as if its the goal line.

Down 13-0 in the first quarter, Hornet’s wide receiver Jaion Goodson picked the Hornet’s offense up with a “big-league” catch from quarterback Casen Blackmon to convert their initial first down.

Murray went out of bounds at the first down marker and he looked like he might have been short of the first down when he went out, but the play stood after a replay review.

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The first-down results were perhaps even more impressive — the Horns averaged 8.3 yards per play on first down.

Four plays later, on the first play of the second quarter, a pass interference penalty on Sharockman nullified Dawson's third down incompletion and gave Kansas City a first down at the Minnesota 31-yard line.

The Jets kept rushing Snell to their strong left, rushing off tackle with Boozer blocking the linebacker, and gained first down after first down as the Colts defense gave ground.

The Ravens receive the Bengals’ punt and after getting a first down, on first-and-10 hit who is able to outrun the Bengals defense for the Ravens’ first touchdown.

After three quick incompletions, the Trojans went for it on fourth down deep in their own territory and quarterback Gunnar Watson found receiver Chris Lewis for 16 yards and a first down.

Instead, with two rushers bearing down to block the kick, Klick kept the ball, ran to his right and picked up eight yards for a first down.

In the minds of Philadelphia fans, the Super Bowl loss will be marred by a controversial holding call against Pro Bowl cornerback James Bradberry, which gave Kansas City a critical first down and allowed them to wind down the clock.

The Crusaders lost seven yards on first down and 10 more yards on second down.

Cumberland Gap receiver Aiden Peters fights for a first down as he gets tackled by Anthony Turner on a fourth down play in Friday’s game.

Lynn converted a fourth down to keep its opening series alive, and after back-to-back false start penalties, back-to-back big runs gave them another first down.

Of nine offensive penalties last week, four were on first down and two on fourth down, including two in the red zone.

After preventing West Orange from producing a first down on a second straight Mountaineer possession, Union marched down the field again and reached the end zone once more on a 12-yard run by Igbinosun.

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