beginning是begin的名词形式，“开头，开端”
start作"开始"之意解时,可用作及物和不及物动词,大多数情况可以和begin通用(口语中start较常用)。start和begin后可接不定式,也可接动名词,差别不大。如:
When did you start / begin learning (或to learn) English? 你什么时候开始学英语的?
If Mary doesn't come soon, let's start / begin without her. 要是玛丽一会儿不来,咱们就开始,不等她了。
His illness started / began with a slight cough. 他的病是从轻微的咳嗽开始的。
但下列情况时,只接不定式,不接动名词。
① start和begin本身用于进行时态时。如:
He is just starting / beginning to write the letter. 他刚刚开始写那封信。
② 当物作主语时。如:
The leaves start/ begin to come out when spring comes. 春天到来时,树叶开始长了出来。
③ start和begin后跟understand, realize, know等与想法、感情有关的静态动词时。如:
I slowly started / began to understand how she felt. 我慢慢地开始明白她有什么感觉。
He started / began to realize that how important it was to learn English well. 他开始意识到学好英语有多重要。
在下面几种情况下用start,而不用begin。
1) start=set up, build or found, 可用来表示企业、机构、设施的"创建、创办、开办"。如:
The company was started by the two brothers. 这家公司由兄弟俩创办的。
These doctors are going to start a private hospital. 这些医生打算开办一所私立医院。
We're considering starting a club for the old. 我们正在考虑创办一家老年人俱乐部。
start作"创办、开办"解时,有时可与open互换,只是start着重"创建",而open着重"开始运转"。如:
The hospital was started / opened in 2002 by a rich man. 那家医院是一个有钱人于2002 年开办的。
The musician started / opened a special school for the distabled children. 那音乐家为残疾儿童建了一所特殊学校。
