grammar - First, Second, Third, and Finally


Is it grammatically correct to sequence paragraphs using First, Second, Third, and Finally?


If not, is there a good word that replaces Finally? Starting a paragraph with Final doesn't sound correct. I could change all of the other words (e.g., First becomes Firstly), but I prefer the shorter versions. Last is the best replacement I can come up with, but it doesn't sound as fluid as Finally.


Forgive me for my painful-to-read example paragraphs. I'm not the most creative human being.



First, I grabbed a spoon.


Second, I ate the cereal.


Third, I drank the milk.


Finally, I tossed the bowl in the dish washer.




Answer



Yes, first, second...finally is fine, as is ...lastly. And firstly, secondly...finally/lastly is also fine. I would probably refrain from using ?last or *final.


Note that the (most) traditional sequence is first, secondly, thirdly...lastly; don't be afraid of "inconsistencies" in idiom! See my earlier answer on ELL and Fowler's Modern English Usage (3rd edition).


The Oxford English Dictionary on firstly:



Used only in enumerating heads, topics, etc. in discourse; and many writers prefer first, even though closely followed by secondly, thirdly, etc.



Burchfield in Fowler's Modern English Usage on first:


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