【问】 at the beginning与in the beginning是否有区别?
 【答】 at the beginning与in the beginning在用法上有一些区别。in the beginning只能单独用作时间状语或定语，而不能跟of短语连用，其意义为：“起初”、“在开始的时候”(at first)，暗含着后来有变化的意思：
 1. In the beginning we thought we’d never get it all arranged.
 在开始的时候，我们以为不会把它全安排好。
 2. The artist’s job in the beginning is not unlike the job of a writer.
 画家起初的工作与作家的工作十分相似。
 3. You will find it rather difficult in the beginning. (Mis)
 你会发现它在开始的时候是相当难的。
 4. In the beginning he had one small shop; now he is the owner of a vast business，withmany branches. (Wood)
 起初，他开了一家小商店，现在他已是一家有许多分店的大公司的老板了。
 5. In the beginning I felt very lonesome in London. (IME)
 起初，我在伦敦觉得非常孤独。
 at the beginning常常跟of短语连用(如of the week，of the year，of the book等)，如果后面没有跟of短语，则大都可以从上下文看出来：
 1. Adverbial phrases are emphasized by being placed at the beginning of a sentence.
 通过把状语短语放在句首的方法来对它进行强调。
 2. A war broke out at the beginning of the century. (Mis)
 在本世纪初爆发了一场战争。
 3. Start at the beginning and read until you get to the bottom of page three.
 从第3页开头开始读，一直读到第3页末尾。
 应当注意，at the beginning在单独使用时，有时与in the beginning同义。例如：
 1. He disliked it at (in) the beginning. (Hill)
 2. At the beginning he wasn't interested in it. (Miss)