begin working

USAGE SUMMARY

"begin working" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to starting a task or job. For example: "I need to begin working on this project right away."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

How did you two begin working together?

The New York Times

When did you begin working together?

The New York Times

When did he begin working?

The Guardian

Why did you begin working in Kashmir?

The New Yorker

She was to begin working in student outreach.

Independent

Some were scheduled to begin working as early as Monday.

The New York Times

Several years later, Sciorra did begin working again.

The New Yorker

Instead, the Mets will begin working on their future.

The New York Times - Sports

How did you first begin working in verbatim theatre?

The Guardian

Loosemore will begin working at Ofcom in September.

The Guardian

It also posts reminders like "Begin working on college essay".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "begin working" when you want to clearly state the commencement of a task or job, especially in formal or neutral contexts.

Common error

In casual conversations, consider using more natural alternatives like "start working" or "get to work" instead of "begin working", which can sound overly formal.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "begin working" functions as a verb phrase indicating the initiation of an action. It combines the verb "begin" with the gerund "working", forming a continuous aspect. As Ludwig AI explains, it is a perfectly acceptable and usable phrase.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Wiki

33%

Science

12%

Less common in

Formal & Business

8%

Reference

7%

Academia

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "begin working" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression to denote the commencement of an action or task. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's perfectly acceptable in written English. While it carries a neutral to slightly formal tone, making it appropriate for diverse contexts such as news, scientific documents, and general instructions, remember to consider using more informal alternatives like "start working" or "get to work" in casual conversations. The high frequency and authoritative sources like The New York Times and The Guardian underline its widespread use. Ultimately, "begin working" serves as a clear and direct way to communicate the start of an activity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

start working

Direct synonym, replacing "begin" with "start" for a slightly less formal tone.

commence work

Uses "commence" instead of "begin", making it slightly more formal.

initiate work

Similar to "commence work", but emphasizes the act of initiating a process.

start the work

Focuses on initiating a specific task rather than a general work period.

get to work

Suggests a sense of urgency or readiness to start a task.

undertake work

Implies taking on responsibility for a task.

set about working

Emphasizes the method or approach taken when starting work.

embark on work

Suggests starting a significant or challenging project.

turn to working

Suggests switching focus or attention to working.

get cracking

An informal way to say "begin working", implying enthusiasm and speed.

FAQs

What can I say instead of "begin working"?

You can use alternatives like "start working", "get to work", or "commence work" depending on the context.

How to use "begin working" in a sentence?

You can use "begin working" to describe the start of a task or employment, such as "They will begin working on the project next week" or "She is to begin working in student outreach".

What's the difference between "begin working" and "start working"?

"Begin working" is slightly more formal than "start working", but they are often interchangeable. The choice depends on the tone and context of your writing.

Is it correct to say "begin to work" instead of "begin working"?

Both "begin working" and "begin to work" are grammatically correct. "Begin working" emphasizes the activity itself, while "begin to work" can emphasize the intention or process. For example: "I must begin working on the report" vs. "I must begin to work on the report".