Begin & start 的用法

基本上start 和begin 意義及用法相同. 兩者都可以接不定詞或動名詞:
They will start working on the project soon.
Let’s begin reading the book.

但start 比較強調啟始 ,啟動的概念; begin指比較自然, 順理成章的開始. 下列四句是start 和begin較合宜的用法. 但若把句中start 換成begin或begin換成start意義差別不大:

The play begins at eight o'clock.
I began to understand the whole thing.

Next week I'll start to learn English
He started to talk after a cup of coffee.

雖說在當代英語中, start 和begin 意義及用法有漸趨一致的傾向. 但下列各句中的start則決對不能用begin置換:

We will stay on the platform until the train starts. (開動)
John’s father started the company. (創始)
I could not start my car this morning. (發動)
Push the green button to start the machine. (啟動)

大坪頂 Louise & Vivian - Every day Idioms

Writer: CaseryMalarcher
Book name: Illustrated Every day Idioms with stories