verb · formal

commence

/kəˈmens/com·MENCE

Band 7+task2speaking

to begin or start (formal)

Examples

The conference will commence at nine o'clock.

Construction commenced after the permits were approved.

The treaty commenced a new era of cooperation.

Band 8 sentence

Formal ceremonies commonly commence with a speech from a senior figure, setting the tone for subsequent discussions.

Collocations

  • commence operations
  • commence proceedings
  • commence at

Word family

commencement noun

Common mistakes

begin (always)commence

commingcommence

Say it for a higher band

5start6begin7+commence

Synonyms

begin

start

Easily confused

begin

We will begin the workshop with a short introduction.

Related words

Learn this word with the rest of its set, and get reminded at the right time.

In Sublist 6

Learn it with its set