Question

Ils commencent .............. courir.

Hint:

Memorize verb-preposition pairs. “Commencer à” is always followed by an infinitive with “à,” never “de.”

Answer 1

When the verb “commencer” is followed by another verb in the infinitive form, French grammar requires the preposition “à”.
The structure is: commencer à + infinitif.
In English, this means “to begin to do something.”
Examples:
— Il commence à pleuvoir. (It is starting to rain.)
— Nous avons commencé à lire ce livre hier. (We started reading that book yesterday.)
Using “de” instead of “à” would be incorrect in this case, because “commencer” takes “à” before verbs.
There are some verbs in French that take “de” (e.g., “essayer de,” “arrêter de”) and others that take “à” (e.g., “aider à,” “réussir à,” “commencer à”).
Thus, the correct structure is: Ils commencent à courir. (They begin to run.)