SN4 ""

No	Pattern	Freq
1	[was/were] the first [noun sg]	1542
2	was the first [noun sg]	1496
3	[was/were] the first time	540
4	[was/were] the first person	50
5	were the first [noun sg]	46
6	[was/were] the first thing	45
7	[was/were] the first woman	42
8	[was/were] the first step	27
9	[was/were] the first man	27
10	[was/were] the first occasion	23
11	[was/were] the first day	18
12	[was/were] the first visit	13
13	[was/were] the first company	12
14	[was/were] the first year	11
15	[was/were] the first case	10
16	[was/were] the first world	10
17	[was/were] the first country	9
18	[was/were] the first member	8
19	[was/were] the first attempt	8
20	[was/were] the first book	8
21	[was/were] the first place	7
22	[was/were] the first record	7
23	[was/were] the first president	7
24	[was/were] the first church	7
25	[was/were] the first sign	6
26	[was/were] the first englishman	6
27	[was/were] the first part	6
28	[was/were] the first home	5
29	[was/were] the first game	5
30	[was/were] the first example	5