start
单词辨析：
指动作开始且持续下去，强调开始这一事实。
The yacht will start its maiden voyage next week.
这艘游艇将于下周开始它的处女航。
They were starting to skate.
他们正开始滑冰。
Wet the clay a bit more before you start to mould it.
把泥弄湿点再动手塑形。
最常用词，指为某一过程或进程开个头，常可与 start 换用。
They began/started to work.
他们开始工作了。
The class began/started with a story.
这节课是从一个故事开始的。
When did you begin/start learning Japanese?
你何时开始学习日语的？
指开始某种正式行动，常伴有正式程序或一定的仪式，语气庄重。
When will the opening ceremony commence?
开幕式什么时候开始?
They'll commence building next week.
他们下周破土动工。
Further negotiations on services will commence in 2012.
服务业的进一步谈判将于2012年开启。
以上这组词作为瞬时动词，通常不可与表示一段时间的状语连用。
相关例句：
George Granger has started a health centre and I know he's looking for qualified staff
乔治·格兰杰开办了一个保健中心，我知道他正在物色合格的职员。
Betty started as a shipping clerk at the clothes factory
贝蒂的第一份工作是在服装厂里当运务员。
To start with, the pressure on her was very heavy, but it's eased off a bit now
一开始，她的压力很大，但现在已经好些了。
The fire is thought to have started in an upstairs room
火灾被认为是从楼上的一个房间里开始燃起的。
We can start living a normal life again now.
我们现在可以重新过上正常的生活了。
John then unlocked the front door and I started to follow him up the stairs
约翰接着打开前门，我开始跟他上楼。