1.commence作“开始”解,一般用于较正式的场合,语气较强,在日常情况下应改用begin或start。
2.commence可用作不及物动词,也可用作及物动词。用作及物动词时,后面可接名词、动名词或动词不定式。接动名词和接动词不定式所表达的意思相同,接动名词属于正式用法,多用于书面语；接不定式属非正式用法,多用于口语。
3.commence后接介词as,表示“以(某职业)开始自己的生涯”; 后接介词on,表示“开始从事(某事)”; 后接介词with，表示“以…开始,从…开始”。

commence as(v.+prep.)
以(某职业)开始自己的生涯 start one's life work by being (a workman in a certain trade, etc.)
▲commence as sb/sth
Many important businessmen commenced as factory workers.许多显赫的企业家都是从工厂的工人做起的。
The newspaper had commenced as a duplicated broadsheet.这家报纸最初为双面版。
▲commence sth as sb
She commenced her life as an actress in the 1930s.从30年代她就开始了舞台生涯。

commence on(v.+prep.)
开始从事(某事) start to work on; start dealing with (sth)
▲commence on sth
He commenced on a piece of work.他着手搞一项工作。
He commenced on a technical innovation two years ago but has made no progress so far.两年前他着手进行一项技术革新,但迄今尚无任何进展。
He has commenced on a new book.他已开始读一本新书。
Has he commenced on another bottle?他已开始喝另一瓶酒了吗?
The children commenced on the chocolate biscuits.孩子们开始吃巧克力饼干。

commence with(v.+prep.)
以…开始,从…开始 start with
▲commence with sth
You should commence with this book.你该先读这本书。
We will commence with this work.我们将开始这项工作。
The word commences with a vowel. 这个词开头是元音。
The Bible commences with the Genesis.《圣经》开头是《创世记》。
The concert commenced with the national anthem.音乐会以奏国歌开始。
Let's commence with the first paragraph.咱们从第一段开始吧。

用作不及物动词
▲S+～(+A)
The performance will commence from 7:00 p.m.演出晚上7点开始。
The second term commenced in March.第二学期自三月份开始。
用作及物动词
▲S+～+n./pron.
If everyone has arrived, we may now commence the meeting.如果人都到齐了,现在我们可以开始开会。
The judges commenced a lawsuit.法官们开始提出了诉讼。
Should we commence the attack?我们是否应该开始攻击了?
▲S+～+to-v
The young girl took the cheese and commenced to eat.那个年轻女孩拿了干酪开始吃起来。
The little girl commenced to cry when she saw the snake.这小女孩一看到蛇就开始哭了起来。
▲S+～+v-ing
He commenced studying law.他开始攻读法律。
After the election the new government commenced developing the roads.选举后新政府开始修建道路。

commence, begin, originate, start
这组词都有“开始”的意思。其区别是:
1.commence和start有时可互换,但在作“动身,出发”解或某一活动过程的“开始”解时,只能用start。
2.commence强调缓慢地开始,而start强调从不动到动或停止后再动。
3.start往往强调“开始”这一行动本身,而commence则含有为了某一目的的意味。
4.commence比begin要庄严得多,含有正式开始或开幕的意味,如开始举行典礼、开始审讯案件等。
5.begin是最常用语; commence多用于书面语; start则多用于口语。
6.originate作不及物动词时,表示“源自”“起始”“发起”等意思; 用作及物动词时,表示“创始”“发明”。