Hoy empieza la evaluación.

Because the verb is empezar and it is a stem-changing verb in the present tense.

• empezar = to begin, to start
• In the present tense, the e in the stem changes to ie in most forms:
  • yo empiezo
  • tú empiezas
  • él/ella/usted empieza
  • nosotros empezamos
  • ellos/ellas/ustedes empiezan

So Hoy empieza la evaluación uses the él/ella/usted form because the subject is la evaluación.

In Spanish, the present tense is often used for scheduled or near-future events, especially when a time word like hoy makes the timing clear.

So Hoy empieza la evaluación literally looks like Today the evaluation begins, but in natural English it can mean:

• The evaluation starts today
• The evaluation is starting today
• The evaluation begins today

This is very normal in both Spanish and English for scheduled events.

Because evaluación is a feminine singular noun, and here it refers to a specific evaluation.

• la evaluación = the evaluation
• una evaluación = an evaluation

Spanish uses articles very regularly. In this sentence, la suggests the speaker and listener know which evaluation is being talked about.

Yes, evaluación is feminine.

A very useful pattern is that nouns ending in -ción are usually feminine:

• la evaluación
• la situación
• la información
• la lección

So it takes feminine articles and adjectives.

Yes. That is completely correct and very natural.

Both mean the same thing:

• Hoy empieza la evaluación
• La evaluación empieza hoy

The difference is mainly emphasis:

• Hoy empieza la evaluación emphasizes today
• La evaluación empieza hoy emphasizes the evaluation

Spanish word order is often more flexible than English.

Yes. Comienza comes from comenzar, which also means to begin.

So you can say:

• Hoy empieza la evaluación
• Hoy comienza la evaluación

Both are correct. In many everyday situations, empezar feels a bit more common and conversational, but both are standard.

Because empezar a is used when the next word is a verb in the infinitive.

For example:

• Empieza a estudiar = He/She starts studying
• Empiezan a trabajar = They start working

But in Hoy empieza la evaluación, the thing that begins is a noun phrase, la evaluación, not another verb. So no a is needed.

The subject is la evaluación.

That is why the verb is singular:

• la evaluación empieza = the evaluation begins

Even though hoy comes first, hoy is just a time expression, not the subject.

The accent mark shows where the stress goes: e-va-lua-CIÓN.

Without the accent, the pronunciation and spelling rules would suggest a different stress pattern. The written accent tells you that the stress falls on the last syllable.

This is also very common with nouns ending in -ción:

• nación
• información
• educación
• evaluación

No. Hoy can move depending on style and emphasis.

All of these are possible:

• Hoy empieza la evaluación
• La evaluación empieza hoy

The first one sounds a little more like Today, the evaluation begins. The second one sounds a little more like The evaluation begins today.

Yes. Evaluación is broader than just a classroom test.

Depending on context, it could mean:

• an assessment
• an evaluation
• a review
• a testing process

So Hoy empieza la evaluación could be about school, work, a medical process, training, or another formal assessment situation. The exact meaning depends on context.

Yes. In this sentence, empieza can be translated as either starts or begins.

• Hoy empieza la evaluación = The evaluation starts today
• Hoy empieza la evaluación = The evaluation begins today

In everyday English, starts is often a little more common and natural, but both are correct.