Page 117 - Practical English Usage 3ed - Michael Swan, Oxford

below, under, underneath, beneath 100
99 begin and start
1 meaning; formality
Begin and start can both be used with the same meaning. I began/started teaching when I was 24.
IfSheila doesn't come soon, let's begin/start without her.
We generally prefer begin when we are using a more formal style. Compare: We will begin the meeting with a message from the President.
Damn! It's starting to rain.
2 cases where begin is not possible Start (but not begin) is used to mean:
a 'start a journey'
I think we ought to start at six, while the roads are empty. b 'start working' (for machines)
The car won't start.
c 'make something start'
How do you start the washing machine?
The President's wife fired the gun to start the race.
For infinitives and -ing forms after begin and start, see 299.10.
100 below, under, underneath, beneath
1 'lower than': below or under
The prepositions below and under can both mean 'lower than'. Look in the cupboard below/under the sink.
2 not directly under: below
We prefer below when one thing is not directly under another. The climbers stopped 300m below the top o f the mountain.
A moment later the sun had disappeared below the horizon.
3 covered: under
We prefer under when something is covered or hidden by what is over it, and when things are touching.
I think the eat's under the bed.
What are you wearing under your sweater?
The whole village is under water. (NOT ••• bei6w ftItlte,.)
4 measurements: below
Below is used in measurements of temperature and height, and in other cases where we think of a vertical scale.
The temperature is three degrees below zero. Parts o f Holland are below sea leveL
The plane came down below the clouds. She's well below average in intelligence.
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