start + gerund or infinitive - what ´s the difference?

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ESL forum > Grammar and Linguistics > start + gerund or infinitive - what ´s the difference?

start + gerund or infinitive - what ´s the difference?

NanG

start + gerund or infinitive - what ´s the difference?

Hi everyone!
These are the examples from http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/start_1?q=start
[+ -ing verb] They started building the house in January.[+ to infinitive] I ï¿½d just started to write a letter when the phone rang..
If there ï¿½s a "slight" difference, could you tell me which it is?
Thanks in advance!
Warm hug Smile

Smile

23 Jun 2013

"started building" (simple past)--action that was completed in the past.

"had just started to write" (past perfect)--action happened before something else in the past

24 Jun 2013