23/120 Mistakes to avoid during 2025

 23. Begin and start 

There is little or no difference between begin and start. 

Begin is more common in a formal style. 

• He started / began working when he was 19.

 • We will begin / start the next lesson tomorrow. 

• It is time to begin / start work.                                                                                                  

 Cases where begin is not possible

 We start (but not begin) a journey or a machine. 

• We started in the morning and reached before sunset. (NOT We began in the morning...)

 • How do you start a washing machine? (NOT How do you begin a washing machine?)

 • At last the train started. (NOT At last the train began.)