Which of the following SQL commands is considered the first clause in a SELECT statement?

In a SQL SELECT statement, the first clause is indeed the SELECT clause. This clause is fundamental because it specifies the exact columns or expressions that you want to retrieve from the database. The SELECT clause is the starting point for any query and dictates what data will be returned to the user.

The SELECT clause can be used in conjunction with other clauses such as FROM, WHERE, and GROUP BY to construct more complex queries. However, regardless of the complexity, the SELECT clause is always the initial point in the syntax of a SELECT statement. By defining the specific columns or computations prior to addressing where to pull the data from or how to filter it, the SELECT clause sets the framework for the entire query, thus making it the first and foremost clause in this context.