I commenced playing

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "I commenced playing" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to indicate the beginning of an activity, particularly in a formal or literary context. Example: "After a long day at work, I commenced playing the piano to unwind and relax."

✓ Grammatically correct

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

Australia's 2015 World Cup hero will commence playing for the Wild Knights – who are coached by former Wallabies mentor Robbie Deans – following the conclusion of the Wallabies' spring tour to Europe in December this year.

The Guardian - Sport

An ECB appeal panel in June reduced Westfield's ban from club cricket by a year in recognition of his willingness to help the PCA with its anti-corruption education programme, meaning he will be eligible to commence playing non-first-class cricket from April next year.

The Guardian - Sport

Star Wars "A New Hope" will commence playing!

WikiHow

When Pat sent me the advance and I commenced to playing the tracks over and over, I was struck by how, to my ears, the collection reminded me of Dylan's joyous Basement Tapes (1975) and expanded Basement Tapes Complete (2014).

Huffington Post

IN all, 35 of the best ama teurs in the world commenced play in this tournament on Saturday, with three prelimi nary matches held Friday night.

The New York Times

The team's victory over Colorado was the Crimson's first against a Big 12 Conference opponent since that conference commenced play in 1996.

Wikipedia

World War I commenced and stretched out agonizingly.

The New York Times - Arts

Our intention is to commence play as soon as possible after that.

Independent

The REFEREE places the pistol back in the center of the table and spins a wheel whose -intervals are alternately marked L and R. The wheel clatters to a stop with the marker on L. REFEREE Gentleman on the left will now commence play.

TechCrunch

A total of 17 clubs were invited but only 13 attended, of which 12 were selected to form the new league, to commence play in the 1889 90 season.

Wikipedia

I commenced to perambulate away, but I felt so awful.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

For clarity, ensure that the action following "commenced playing" is clearly defined and relevant to the sentence's main idea. Avoid ambiguity by providing specific details about the context of the playing.

Common error

Avoid using "commenced playing" in casual settings where a more relaxed tone is appropriate. Using overly formal language can sometimes create distance or sound unnatural in everyday conversation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "I commenced playing" functions as a verb phrase indicating the initiation of an action. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically correct, signifying the beginning of an activity.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "I commenced playing" is grammatically correct but notably formal. According to Ludwig AI, it signals the initiation of a playing activity, best suited for professional or formal writing. Consider using more common alternatives like "I started playing" in informal contexts. The phrase's formality makes it less frequent in everyday conversation. When deciding to use "I commenced playing", ensure that the context aligns with the phrase's formal tone.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

I started playing

Uses a more common verb ("started") to convey the same meaning.

I began playing

Replaces "commenced" with "began", another standard synonym.

I initiated playing

Substitutes "commenced" with "initiated", suggesting a more formal start.

I undertook playing

Uses "undertook" to indicate the beginning of a more significant or deliberate action.

I set about playing

Implies a determined or purposeful commencement of playing.

I got down to playing

Informal alternative using "got down to", suggesting a transition to the activity.

I proceeded to play

Replaces the gerund form with an infinitive; highlights sequential action.

I launched into playing

Suggests an energetic or enthusiastic beginning of the activity.

I opened with playing

Implies that playing was the initial action or step.

Playing was commenced by me

Passive voice construction, altering sentence structure and emphasis.

FAQs

What is a simpler alternative to "I commenced playing"?

You can use alternatives like "I started playing" or "I began playing", which are less formal and more commonly used.

Is "I commenced playing" grammatically correct?

Yes, "I commenced playing" is grammatically correct, but it is considered a more formal way of saying that you started to play something.

In what situations is it appropriate to use "I commenced playing"?

This phrase is suitable for formal writing, speeches, or when aiming for a sophisticated tone. However, for everyday conversation, simpler alternatives are generally preferred.

What's the difference between "I commenced playing" and "I started to play"?

While both phrases mean the same thing, "I commenced playing" uses a gerund and is more formal. "I started to play" uses an infinitive and is more conversational.