at the beginning/in the beginning

at the beginning 与 in the beginning 在用法上有一些区别。in the beginning 通常单独用作时间状语或定语，而较少跟 of 短语连用，其意义为：“起初”“在开始的时候”（at first），暗含着后来有变化的意思：

1. In the beginning we thought we'd never get it all arranged. 在开始的时候,我们以为不会把它全安排好。

2. You will find it rather difficult in the beginning. (Mis) 你会发现它在开始的时候是相当难的。

3. In the beginning I felt very lonesome in London. (IME) 起初, 我在伦敦觉得非常孤独。

at the beginning 常常跟 of 短语连用(如 of the week, of the year, of the book 等), 如果后面没有跟 of 短语, 则大都可以从上下文看出来:

1. A war broke out at the beginning of the century. (Mis) 在本世纪初爆发了一场战争。

2. Start at the beginning and read until you get to the bottom of page three. 从第3页开头开始读，一直读到第3页末尾。

应当注意, at the beginning 在单独使用时, 有时与 in the beginning 同义。例如:

1. He disliked it at (in) the beginning. (Hill)

2. At the beginning he wasn't interested in it. (Miss)