To start ... we have comedy

[Ryakar]

Test No. incompl/elem-23 "On TV tonight", question 3

To start ......... we have comedy.

(a) with
(b) up
(c) out
(d) in

Test No. incompl/elem-23 "On TV tonight", answer 3

To start with we have comedy.

Correct answer: (a) with
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hi,
what is the meaning this sentence?

"To start with we have comedy."
thanks

[Alan]

The speaker is looking at a list of programmes on television and says: In the beginning/at first or to start with we can see a comedy programme. You could also use this expression when you are talking about what food you are going to eat: To start with we have soup ...
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English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Present Simple

[enlearnercn]

[Mister Micawber]

.
With is a preposition:

The TV schedule starts with a comedy programme.
The dinner starts with soup.
The dinner ends with nuts.

Up is an adverb:

The motor started up with only a slight hum.
.
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Native English teacher at Mister Micawber's

[Alan]

Hi Enlearnercn,

Further to the answer I gave last year in explaining start with, I should add that start up can be used as follows:

As he wanted to talk to her, he decided the only thing was to start up a conversation about the weather.

In this sentence start up gives the idea beginning something with a certain amount of effort.

Alan
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English as a Foreign Language
You can read my EFL story Progressive Forms

[Linda_2009]

I check dictionary and find:start+
(a) with
(b) up
(c) out
(d) in
all mean "begin" in chinese.What different betwen them?

[Gwen2010]

Hi Alan,

I have the same questions with the upper. In English-Chinese dictionary, start up/with/out/in, all these phrases have the same meaning begin. What's the differences among them?

Looking forward your answers--

Gwen

[Kati Svaby]

Hi Linda,

The Oxford dictionary put differences these 4 prepositions:

1.with = in the first place
a./ To start with, we haven't enough money, and secondly we haven't enough time.
b./ at the beginning= We have only six member to start with.

2.up
a./above; the waterfall above the bridge or waterfall up stream from the bridge
b./ come into existence suddenly or unexpectedly.= Many difficulties have started up.
start sth up,put/ an engine etc./in motion: We couldn't start up the car.

3.start out / to do sth//, take the first steps : He started out to write a novel.

4.start in on sth/to do sth//colloq/ begin to do it: Poor Jane! She's started in on a huge pile of ironing

Regards:
Kati Svaby

[Karimalajoy]

Hello,
Why do we use with and not up?Thanks

[Mister Micawber]

Hello,

Because it makes no sense in that sentence. 'To start with' = first. 'To start up' = to begin the process.

Your welcome.
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Native English teacher at Mister Micawber's

[Letaniabubu]

Hello people : it's so diferent English than logical Spanish language we never should saying COMENZAR CON TENEMOS we must admite that it's your language and you say like that I will try to send my photo I hope to have succes.Bye,bye

[Our Tort System]

[Eugene2114]

1)"To start with it's much too expensive."
2)" She wasn't keen on the idea to start with."
"The club had only six members to start with."
- Whether the placing of 'with' is an indicator of the meaning implied? In another words, placing it at the beginning in 2) would change the meaning completely /and vice versa/?
Regards.

[Beeesneees]

Sometimes there's no change, but the nuance/context might indicate the following change of meaning:
She wasn't keen on the idea to start with - she didn't like the idea when it was first mentioned (she probably still isn't).
To start with she wasn't keen on the idea - she didn't like the idea at first (but she may like it more now).
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Cheers m' dears!

[Alan]

Hi,

Clearly if you put the expression at the beginning of the sentence, you are putting greater emphasis on the expression. In exactly the same way as I have emphasised 'clearly' by putting it at the beginning of my sentence.

Alan
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English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Passive Voice