it begun to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it begun to" is not correct in written English.
The correct form is "it began to." Example: "It began to rain just as we stepped outside."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

14 human-written examples

Rounds in the Rainbow Nation Bobby Locke, Gary Player, Ernie Els...South Africa has produced many great golfers, but only with the Rainbow Nation reaching maturity has it begun to exploit its climate, geography and value-for-money to welcome holidaymaking British golfers in its prime summer season - our winter, making February-May and September-October favoured times.

The Guardian - Travel

Has it begun to live down its infamy as a place which prised open the country's religious fault lines and triggered off some of the worst rioting since independence?

BBC

Only recently has it begun to assert itself as an independent nation.

The New Yorker

And they wonder something else more ominous: Has it begun to damage the department?

The New York Times

Only in recent years has it begun to be fairly represented in the Israeli political system.

The New York Times

Only in the past 12 months has it begun to think about time as something you might want to turn backwards.

The Guardian - Film

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

42 human-written examples

Is it beginning to show its age?

Forbes

It began to bleed".

The New Yorker

It began to rain.

The New Yorker

It begins to rain.

The New Yorker

It began to die.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use the correct past tense form "began" instead of "begun" when indicating the start of an action. For example, say "it began to rain" not "it begun to rain".

Common error

Avoid using the past participle "begun" in place of the simple past tense "began". "Begun" typically requires a helping verb (e.g., has, have, had), while "began" is used alone to describe a past action.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it begun to" is an incorrect attempt to express the start of an action or process. The correct form is using simple past tense of verb "begin", which is began. This structure typically functions as a verb phrase within a sentence.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Reference

10%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "it begun to" is a grammatically incorrect construction. The correct past tense form of "begin" is "began", making "it began to" the appropriate choice. Despite the frequency of this error, particularly in News & Media and Science contexts, it's crucial to use "began" to maintain grammatical accuracy. Ludwig AI emphasizes that this phrase is incorrect and using the correct past tense is recommended for clear communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it began to

Corrects the verb form to the past tense "began", which is grammatically correct.

it started to

Uses a different verb with similar meaning to express the beginning of an action or state. More appropriate verb tense.

it commenced to

Replaces "begun" with "commenced", offering a more formal synonym for "began".

it initiated

Uses a single verb, "initiated", to convey the start of something, simplifying the original phrase.

it was starting to

Expresses the beginning action using a continuous tense, implying an ongoing process.

it got underway

This alternative conveys a sense of commencement and movement, suitable for processes or events. Change of structure

it was commencing

Similar to 'it was starting', this uses the continuous form of 'commence' for ongoing initiation. Change of structure

it came into effect

Suggests that something became operational or valid, often used for rules or laws. Change of structure.

it took hold

This phrase implies that something started to have an influence or effect. Change of structure.

it arose

Uses a more concise verb, "arose", to indicate the start or emergence of something.

FAQs

Is "it begun to" grammatically correct?

No, "it begun to" is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "it began to". The word "began" is the simple past tense of "begin", while "begun" is the past participle, which requires a helping verb such as "has", "have", or "had".

What are some alternatives to "it begun to"?

Instead of "it begun to", you can use phrases like "it started to", "it began to", or "it commenced to". All of these options are grammatically sound and convey a similar meaning.

How do I properly use "began" and "begun" in a sentence?

Use "began" to describe a simple action in the past (e.g., "The meeting began at 9 AM"). Use "begun" with a helping verb to form the perfect tenses (e.g., "The project has begun", "They had begun preparations").

What is the difference between "it began to" and "it was beginning to"?

"It began to" describes a completed action in the past. "It was beginning to" describes an action that was in progress in the past. The second option uses the past continuous tense.