begin

When something starts, it begins. This word can be used for a person or a thing.

• The day begins when the sun rises.
• A novel begins on page one.
• The alphabet begins with the letter A.
• Mary’s name begins with the letter M.
• At what age does a baby begin to walk?
• Most kids begin kindergarten at the age of five or six.
• When did you begin to learn English?

"Begin" is an irregular verb, and the form of the verb changes depending on the tense:

• The class began ten minutes ago. (past tense)
• The movie hasn’t begun yet. (present perfect tense)
• Yolanda will begin college in the fall. (future tense)
• Peter is beginning to learn Spanish.
• When did their problems begin?

The word "beginning" is a noun:

• The beginning of the novel was fascinating.
• Beginning a new life in another country is difficult.
• Scientists theorize that a "big bang" marked the beginning of the universe.
• Let’s start from the beginning. (Tell me what happened at the start.)

A beginner is a person who does something for the first time:

• She’s learning how to drive. She’s a beginner.
• Don’t be too critical of his abilities. He’s still a beginner.
• I’m sorry my piano playing is so bad. I’m still a beginner.
• Few people want to be operated on by a beginning surgeon. It’s preferable to have a procedure done by an expert with a lot of experience rather than a beginner.

He just started learning how to ski. He’s a beginner.

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April 2, 2014