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In the first meaning of begin, it is possible to use the -ing form or the to + verb (infinitive) form after it:

She stood up and began playing or to play the trumpet.

With the -ing form we expect the trumpet playing to go on for a while, and assume that in the past (perhaps) there has been some playing.

https://www.wordreference.com/definition/begin

How is it possible for there to be some playing in the past when it has just began ? Perhaps she began to play again after recovering from some injury?

Can't you say She began to play again?

GJC
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    Gerund-participle clauses and infinitive clauses are untensed— don't be misled by ing constructions everytime you see them. They don't always show tense. – user405662 Jun 29 '21 at 19:57
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    They don't ever show tense, -ing verb forms are not inflected for tense. There are only two tenses in English - past and present. Everything else is constructions with auxiliary verbs, and there are hundreds of them and they're not tenses. No wonder you're confused. – John Lawler Jun 29 '21 at 23:22

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How is it possible for there to be some playing in the past when it has just began?

I think it's possible if you use 'begin' to mean 'resume', although I don't agree with this kind of hair-splitting.

JK2
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