began to evolve

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "began to evolve" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe the process of change or development that started in the past and is ongoing or has continued into the present. Example: "Over the years, the species began to evolve in response to changes in their environment."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Then they began to evolve.

The New Yorker

Zarqawi's militancy began to evolve.

The Guardian

The name stuck even as the sound began to evolve.

The New York Times

But Van Roost's confidence and game plan began to evolve.

The New York Times - Sports

"The time period that we're playing by, you can see how the rules began to evolve.

The New York Times - Sports

A sport of grace and style began to evolve, punctuated by dramatic explosiveness.

The New York Times - Books

Poetry written for the page, and song, began to evolve their own sets of artistic imperatives.

The Guardian - Books

After dogs split from wolves, their genes began to evolve in a new direction.

The New York Times - Science

But then in the early 1990's, things began to evolve.

The New York Times

Having hit the refresh button, she began to evolve a canny style sense built on contradictions.

The New York Times

Fossil evidence suggests humanity's upright stance began to evolve between 6m and 4m years ago.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "began to evolve" to describe gradual changes or developments over time, particularly when referring to processes in nature, culture, or technology. Ensure the subject of the sentence clearly indicates what is undergoing the evolutionary process.

Common error

Avoid shifting tenses within the same sentence when using "began to evolve". Ensure the rest of the sentence maintains a consistent past tense to match the beginning of the evolutionary process.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "began to evolve" functions as a verb phrase indicating the commencement of a process of change or development. It signifies that something has started to transform or develop over a period. Ludwig AI examples show its use in various contexts such as describing the evolution of rules, strategies, species, and even personal attitudes.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

52%

Science

22%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Wiki

7%

Academia

3%

Formal & Business

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "began to evolve" is a versatile and frequently used expression to describe the commencement of a process of change or development. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and widespread use across diverse contexts, including news, science, and encyclopedic content. When using this phrase, ensure consistent tense usage and choose appropriate synonyms like "started to develop" or "commenced evolving" to add variety to your writing. Remember, the expert rating of 4.5 reflects the phrase's reliability and clarity in communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Started to develop

Replaces "began" with "started" and "evolve" with "develop", indicating a similar but slightly different nuance.

Commenced evolving

Substitutes "began" with "commenced", offering a more formal tone, and maintains "evolving".

Initiated development

Replaces both words with synonyms focusing on a more formal sense of starting a process.

Began to transform

Changes "evolve" to "transform", suggesting a more significant or dramatic change.

Started its evolution

Restructures the phrase to emphasize the evolutionary process itself, using a possessive form.

Began to progress

Uses "progress" instead of "evolve", implying a forward movement or advancement.

Began its development

Restructures the phrase to emphasize the developmental process itself, using a possessive form.

Developed from

Focuses on the origin of the development, indicating a transition from a previous state.

Took shape

Implies a gradual formation or realization, differing slightly from the continuous development suggested by "evolve".

Originated

Highlights the point of origin, differing slightly from the continuous development suggested by "evolve".

FAQs

How can I use "began to evolve" in a sentence?

Use "began to evolve" to describe the start of a gradual development or transformation. For example, "The company's strategy "began to evolve" after the new CEO took over".

What are some alternatives to "began to evolve"?

Alternatives include "started to develop", "commenced evolving", or "initiated development", depending on the context and desired level of formality.

Is it correct to say "began evolving" instead of "began to evolve"?

While "began evolving" is grammatically correct, "began to evolve" is generally preferred as it more clearly conveys the sense of a process starting and continuing. Both are acceptable, but the latter might be clearer in some contexts.

What's the difference between "began to evolve" and "evolved"?

"Began to evolve" describes the starting point of an evolutionary process, while "evolved" simply states that a change or development has occurred, without specifying when it started. For example, "The species "began to evolve" millions of years ago" versus "The species "evolved" to adapt to its environment".