at, in etc.

[jiang]

Dear teachers,

I have three questions to ask:

No.1
The following is from my dictionary:
a. Something that happens at the very start of an event or period of time happens at the beginning of it.
b. If something happens in the beginning it happens during a period of time near the start of an event or longer epriod of time.
The above two are easy to understand. What confuses me is the following explanation:
c. in/at/from the beginning ( =at or from the time when a situation, process etc begins).
Could you please explain if it mean when the words are 'situation or process' we can use any word in Group C? In other words, is it something to do with collocation?

No.2
At the top of the cliff____ the deep valley stood a ten-foot pine tree.
a. overlooking b. towering
The key is 'a'. 'b' isn't correct because it is a valley. If it is a building then both 'a' and 'b' are correct. Is that right?

No.3
Only when I left my parents for college_____ how much I had depended on them.
a. did I realize b. had I realized
'a' is correct. No problem. 'b' isn't correct because the structure of such kind of sentences should be ' Only when somebody DID something DID somebody do something' instead of ' Only when somebody DID something HAD somebody DONE something'. Is that right?

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thank you in advance.

Jiang

[MikeNewYork]

Dear teachers,

I have three questions to ask:

No.1
The following is from my dictionary:
a. Something that happens at the very start of an event or period of time happens at the beginning of it.
b. If something happens in the beginning it happens during a period of time near the start of an event or longer epriod of time.
The above two are easy to understand. What confuses me is the following explanation:
c. in/at/from the beginning ( =at or from the time when a situation, process etc begins).
Could you please explain if it mean when the words are 'situation or process' we can use any word in Group C? In other words, is it something to do with collocation?

No.2
At the top of the cliff____ the deep valley stood a ten-foot pine tree.
a. overlooking b. towering
The key is 'a'. 'b' isn't correct because it is a valley. If it is a building then both 'a' and 'b' are correct. Is that right?

No.3
Only when I left my parents for college_____ how much I had depended on them.
a. did I realize b. had I realized
'a' is correct. No problem. 'b' isn't correct because the structure of such kind of sentences should be ' Only when somebody DID something DID somebody do something' instead of ' Only when somebody DID something HAD somebody DONE something'. Is that right?

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thank you in advance.

Jiang

1. I'm not sure what you're asking there.

at the beginning = at the point of the very first action
in the beginning = somewhere in the early part of the action.
from the beginning = starting at the beginning and going to another point.

2. Overlooking is correct. One could use towering if it were "towering over".

3. One can over do the past perfect. In this case, there are two distinct times.

a. I left for college and had a realization.

b. I depended on my parents.

The second tim,e is earlier than the first time. So the simple past is used for a. and the past perfect is used for b.

[jiang]

Dear Mike,
The website broke down early this morning and I don't think it works well now.
No.1 I understand No.2 and No.3 now.
No.2
I understand the following three, too.
at the beginning = at the point of the very first action
in the beginning = somewhere in the early part of the action.
from the beginning = starting at the beginning and going to another point.

The following is from my dictionary:
in/at/from the beginning(=at or from the time when a situatin, process etc begins):
We pay our rent at the beginning of every month.
According to the dictionary I can replace 'at' in this sentence with 'in' and 'from'. Then how can distinguish this use with 'at the beginning', in the beginning' and 'from the beginning' that you explained? In other words, can I use 'in' and 'from' in the sentence 'It will be ready at the beginnig of next week?

No.3
I asked the question before. But something strange happened. The key to it in one book is 'a' and 'b' in another book. Could you please kindly explain why?

The construction of the dam is already _________. But its completion is still a long way_________.
a. in progress, away b. under way, off

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thank you in advance.

Jiang

1. I'm not sure what you're asking there.

at the beginning = at the point of the very first action
in the beginning = somewhere in the early part of the action.
from the beginning = starting at the beginning and going to another point.

2. Overlooking is correct. One could use towering if it were "towering over".

3. One can over do the past perfect. In this case, there are two distinct times.

a. I left for college and had a realization.

b. I depended on my parents.

The second tim,e is earlier than the first time. So the simple past is used for a. and the past perfect is used for b.

[MikeNewYork]

Dear Mike,
The website broke down early this morning and I don't think it works well now.
No.1 I understand No.2 and No.3 now.
No.2
I understand the following three, too.
at the beginning = at the point of the very first action
in the beginning = somewhere in the early part of the action.
from the beginning = starting at the beginning and going to another point.

The following is from my dictionary:
in/at/from the beginning(=at or from the time when a situatin, process etc begins):
We pay our rent at the beginning of every month.
According to the dictionary I can replace 'at' in this sentence with 'in' and 'from'. Then how can distinguish this use with 'at the beginning', in the beginning' and 'from the beginning' that you explained? In other words, can I use 'in' and 'from' in the sentence 'It will be ready at the beginnig of next week?

No.3
I asked the question before. But something strange happened. The key to it in one book is 'a' and 'b' in another book. Could you please kindly explain why?

The construction of the dam is already _________. But its completion is still a long way_________.
a. in progress, away b. under way, off

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thank you in advance.

Jiang

We pay our rent at the beginning of every month.
According to the dictionary I can replace 'at' in this sentence with 'in' and 'from'. Then how can distinguish this use with 'at the beginning', in the beginning' and 'from the beginning' that you explained? In other words, can I use 'in' and 'from' in the sentence 'It will be ready at the beginnig of next week?

The sentence would be OK with "in", since there is often a ten-day grace period for rent. At the beginning is at a point, on or near the first. "In the beginning refers to a time period. "From" will not work, however.

In your other one, I would accept either option, though I prefer the second.

[jiang]

Dear Mike,
Thank you very much for your explanation. Now I see. I hope you can receive this reply.

Jiang

We pay our rent at the beginning of every month.
According to the dictionary I can replace 'at' in this sentence with 'in' and 'from'. Then how can distinguish this use with 'at the beginning', in the beginning' and 'from the beginning' that you explained? In other words, can I use 'in' and 'from' in the sentence 'It will be ready at the beginnig of next week?

The sentence would be OK with "in", since there is often a ten-day grace period for rent. At the beginning is at a point, on or near the first. "In the beginning refers to a time period. "From" will not work, however.

In your other one, I would accept either option, though I prefer the second.

[MikeNewYork]

Dear Mike,
Thank you very much for your explanation. Now I see. I hope you can receive this reply.

Jiang

You're welcome. The forum seems to be working fine at the moment.

[jiang]

Yes. I am .

You're welcome. The forum seems to be working fine at the moment.

[Harry Smith]

You're welcome. The forum seems to be working fine at the moment.

I'm very happy to hear it. The forum should be working fine all the time.

[jiang]

This is difficult because to keep it working fine all the time because sometimes there is virus and nobody can prevent it from doing harm to the website.
Jiang

I'm very happy to hear it. The forum should be working fine all the time.

[Harry Smith]

This is difficult because to keep it working fine all the time because sometimes there is virus and nobody can prevent it from doing harm to the website.
Jiang

I see. Thanks for comforting me.