Starting the presentation (開始陳述)

1. To begin with / To start with (首先/第一點)
可放於句子的開首, 中間, 或末部, 但放在句首是較普遍的用法

e.g.
To begin with, we should do more listening.
We should, to start with, do more listening
We should do more listening, to begin with.

三句的意思都是"首先, 我們要多個聆聽練習"

"to begin with" 或 "to start with" 之後可接用名詞(noun), 表示"首先說...", 亦可在兩者之前配合不同字句運用, 例如"I want to begin with..." , " I would like to start with..." 等, 以表達 "我希望先說" 之意思.

"to begin with"亦具有表示某事件是如何開始的功能

2. Let's begin with / let's start with (讓我們從......說起)
跟後可用名詞(noun), 動名詞(gerund) 或分句(clause), 指出先要談及的事物.

e.g.
接用名詞
Let's begin with our hobbies.
接用動名詞
Let's begin with choosing a friend.
接用分句
Let's start with what we are interested in.

當"to begin with" 或 "to start with" 之後接用名詞(noun),其意思和用法跟"Let's begin with"和"Let's start with"相似.

3. First of all / in the first place (第一/首先/最初)

除了借助"in the first place"來引入第一點外, 亦可用"in the second place"帶出第二項要點
e.g
In the first place, it is too expensive. In the second place, it is not that useful.

雖然有時"first of all" 或 "in the first place" 會被用來強調某點信息, 但其實它們本身不一定有強調的含意, 其主要的作用是於表達多項要點時, 用來引入第一點.