talks have begun

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "talks have begun" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that discussions or negotiations on a particular topic or issue have started. Example: "After months of preparation, the talks have begun between the two countries to address climate change."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sports

Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

47 human-written examples

Those talks have begun.

The New York Times

And informal peace talks have begun with the Kachin.

The Economist

Peace talks have begun in Geneva after the arrival of the Houthi delegation.

Independent

"With Ronaldinho official transfer talks have begun, the cost will be met through sponsors," he said.

Independent

In recent months, settlement talks have begun between industry officials and lawyers representing those states.

The New York Times

Despite the major pileup ahead, no serious talks have begun about the fiscal clash.

The Washington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

13 human-written examples

The talks had begun their final day before the deadline on Tuesday with optimism running high.

The New York Times

To that end, he said talks had begun with Fox about a game at Cowboys Stadium to kick off that network's college season.

The New York Times - Sports

Coalitions already seemed to be fraying, with several politicians claiming that talks had begun this week to persuade candidates to leave their alliances.

The New York Times

But even as Mr. Diaz and others stood up for Mr. Spitzer, talks had begun with the Department of Homeland Security about revising the plan.

The New York Times

The talks had begun in April when Hutchison Whampoa, which is controlled by Li Ka-shing, the Hong Kong billionaire, made an offer to merge 3 Italia with Telecom Italia in a deal that would have given 3 control.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "talks have begun" to clearly and concisely indicate the start of discussions, negotiations, or conversations, especially in news reports or formal announcements. For instance: "Following the ceasefire agreement, "talks have begun" between the warring factions."

Common error

Avoid using incorrect tenses or mismatching subject-verb agreements. For instance, do not say "talk has begun" (singular) or "talks had begun" when the present perfect tense is more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "talks have begun" functions as an introductory statement indicating the commencement of a discussion, negotiation, or dialogue. Ludwig AI confirms this is a correct and usable phrase.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

73%

Business

12%

Sports

8%

Less common in

Wiki

2%

Formal & Business

2%

Science

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "talks have begun" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase that signals the start of discussions or negotiations. According to Ludwig AI, this phrase is correct and usable in written English. It is most commonly found in news and media contexts, indicating its suitability for formal announcements and reports. While alternatives like "negotiations have started" exist, "talks have begun" provides a clear and concise way to communicate the commencement of a dialogue. When using this phrase, ensure correct tense and subject-verb agreement to maintain grammatical accuracy.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

negotiations have started

Uses "negotiations" instead of "talks", emphasizing a more formal discussion process.

discussions are underway

Replaces "talks" with "discussions" and uses "are underway" to denote ongoing activity.

dialogue has commenced

Employs "dialogue" for "talks" and "commenced" for "have begun", creating a more formal tone.

conversations have been initiated

Substitutes "talks" with "conversations" and "have begun" with "have been initiated", suggesting a formal start.

consultations are in progress

Uses "consultations" to imply more formal discussions and "are in progress" for an ongoing state.

engagements have been launched

Replaces "talks" with "engagements", suggesting a formal involvement and "have begun" with "have been launched".

a dialogue has been established

Focuses on the establishment of a dialogue, rather than the beginning of talks.

initial discussions are taking place

Highlights the initial nature of the discussions that are occurring.

preliminary talks are underway

Specifies that the talks are preliminary, suggesting an early stage of discussions.

the process of negotiation is now active

Emphasizes the active state of the negotiation process.

FAQs

How can I use "talks have begun" in a sentence?

Use "talks have begun" to indicate that discussions or negotiations have started. For example: "After months of preparation, "talks have begun" between the two countries to address climate change."

What can I say instead of "talks have begun"?

You can use alternatives such as "negotiations have started", "discussions are underway", or "dialogue has commenced" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "talks has begun" instead of "talks have begun"?

No, "talks has begun" is grammatically incorrect. The plural noun "talks" requires the plural auxiliary verb "have". The correct phrase is "talks have begun".

What's the difference between "talks have begun" and "talks are ongoing"?

"Talks have begun" indicates the commencement of discussions, whereas "talks are ongoing" suggests that the discussions are currently in progress and have not yet concluded. For instance, "Talks have begun, but a resolution is not expected soon as "talks are ongoing"".