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To
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The
verb

to be

The
verb “

to be

”
– forms, uses and examples

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1.
The
verb

to be

as a
main verb

The
verb to
be
is the fundamental verb used to indicate the existence of an entity
(person, object, abstraction) or to relate an entity to its qualities
or characteristics. In linguistics, it is sometimes known as a copula.

Unlike transitive verbs, it does not take a direct
object, but a complement, since the subject and complement of the
verb 

to
be

relate to the
same entity. The complement of
to be can be a noun, a

Forms of the verb to be

Person
Present
preterit
Present
perfect
Past
perfect

1st
sing.
I
am

was
have
been

had
been

2nd
sing
you

are

were
have
been

3rd
sing
he,
she, etc.

is

was
has
been

1st
plural.
we
are

were

have
been

2nd
plural
you
are

were

have
been

3rd
plural
they
are

were

have
been

Unlike transitive verbs, it does not take a direct object, but a complement, since the subject and complement of the verbrelate to the same entity. The complement ofcan be a noun, a noun
phrase , an adjective, or a prepositional phrase

Examples of usage of the verb to be
as
main verb

Examples

That man is
the boss.
That man is
the winner of last year’s Nobel Prize for physics.
That lady is
very intelligent
That man is
in rather a difficult situation
I have been
here before
She was
much prettier in her younger days.
The three ladies

were

all sisters.
The man had been
in the water for an hour, before anyone found him.

2.
The
verb

to be

as
auxiliary

2.1. Progressive forms with be

The verb 

to
be

is used as an auxiliary to denote the progressive
or
continuous
aspect of an action; it is thus used to form the “present
progressive” and “past progressive” and other progressive tenses (also
called the present
continuous and past continuous tenses, etc.). 
In this case, 

be

is followed by the

present
participle

of a verb.

Model

“

stand

“

Present

pro­gresive
Future
pro­gressive
Preterit

pro­gresive
Present
perfect pro­gressive
Past
perfect pro­gressive

1st
sing
I
am stand­ing
I
will be stand­ing
I
was stand­ing
I
have been stand­ing
I
had been stand­ing

2nd
sing
you
are stand­ing
You
will be stand­ing
You
were stand­ing
You
have been stand­ing
You
had been stand­ing

3rd
sing
he
/ she… is stand­ing
He
/ she …
will be stand­ing
He/
she … was stand­ing
He
/ she… have been stand­ing
he
/ she … had
been stand­ing

1st
plural
we
are stand­ing
We
will be stand­ing
We
were stand­ing
We
have been stand­ing
We
had been stand­ing

2nd
plural
you
are stand­ing
You
will be stand­ing
You
were stand­ing
You
have been stand­ing
You
had been stand­ing

3rd
plural
they
are stand­ing
They
will be stand­ing
They
were stand­ing
They
have been stand­ing
They
had been stand­ing

Other tenses can be formed, including tenses with modal auxiliaries:
examples
   

I
could
have been eating

   
  –

 
  They must have been telling the truth

2.2. Passive forms with be

The verb

to
be

is also used as an auxiliary to form

be

is followed by the

past
participle

of a verb.

Sample
verb “

Take

”
Present
simple passive
Future
passive
Pret­erit passive
Present
perfect passive
Past
perfect passive

1st
sing
I
am taken
I
will be taken
I
was taken
I
have been taken
I
had been taken

3rd
sing
It… 
is taken
He
/ she …
will be taken
He
/ she … was taken
He
/ she … has been taken
He
/ she … had been taken

Etc. 

Other tenses can be formed, including tenses with modal auxiliaries:
examples
   

You
could
have been seriously injured.

   –

 
  They must have been told the truth.

2.3. Progressive and
passive

As 

to
be

is used
both to form

both passive and
progressive..

   While a complete range of tenses is
theoretically possible, in practice English only has two passive
progressive tenses, the present progressive passive, and the past
progressive passive.

Progressive tenses in the passive

Sample
verb “

help

”
Present
progressive passive
Past progressive passive

1st
sing
I
am being helped
I
was being helped

3rd
sing
It… 
is being  helped
He
/ she … was being helped

Etc. 

The verbis used as an auxiliary to denote theoraspect of an action; it is thus used to form the “present progressive” and “past progressive” and other progressive tenses (also called the present continuous and past continuous tenses, etc.). In this case,is followed by theof a verb.Other tenses can be formed, including tenses with modal auxiliaries: examplesThe verbis also used as an auxiliary to form. In this case, the auxiliaryis followed by theof a verb.Other tenses can be formed, including tenses with modal auxiliaries: examplesAsis used both to form passive tenses, and tenses with progressive aspect, it follows that it is used twice in verb forms that areWhile a complete range of tenses is theoretically possible, in practice English only has two passive progressive tenses, the present progressive passive, and the past progressive passive.

Get

used instead of

be

in passive forms :
In everyday English, the  auxiliary

be

can often
but not always be replaced by

get

to express a verb in the passive, whether in progressive or simple
aspect.

Examples

She

was being /
was getting

taken to hospital, when suddenly she felt much
worse.
The computer network is down, as the server

is
being/ is getting

changed.
The window

is being /
is
getting

mended.
The staff

were being

given
their daily instructions.
Next I

was taken /
got
taken

to see the director of human resources.

2.4. Avoid confusion

Remember that

• when the auxiliary

  to be

  is
  followed by a present
  participle , the verb is in the active voice;

• when it is followed by a
  past
  participle, the verb in in the passive voice.

Examples

The chicken

was eating

its
dinner
   The chicken

was
eaten

for dinner.
They

were telling

the
truth, when they said that they knew nothing
   They

were told

the truth, when the man finally
confessed.
The women

have been asking

to  see the managing director.
   The women

have
been asked

to see the managing
director.

3.
The
verb

to be

as a
modal verb

to be

is
occasionally used as a modal auxiliary; but in this
it is a strange verb, as it can have either a value of futurity, or a
value of obligation, or something between the two, supposition.
 
 
In the first and third persons, it is a modal whose most common value
is 

futurity

: in
the second person, its main value is one of

obligation

. However, this
distinction is not always true.

Person

Present

Preterit

1st
sing.
I
 
I am
to make

was
to make

2nd
sing
you
You
are
to make

were
to make

3rd
sing
he,
she, etc.
…
is 
to make

was
to make

1st
plural.
we
 …
are 
to
make

were
to make

2nd
plural
you
…
are
to make

were
to make

3rd
plural
they
…
are
to make

were
to make

In other words, while “

I’m
to get a new car next week

” would normally mean “

I’m going to
get a
new car next week

” (futurity), “

You’re
to go
to
London next week

” would normally mean “

You
should go
to
London next week

” (mild obligation).  However, in
many cases,  ambiguity is possible, even if context usually
clarifies the meaning.

Examples

• The train

  was
  to

  leave at 8  (meaning:
  The train was supposed
  to leave at 8)

• I’

  m to

  work
  in London next year  (I’m going
  to / have to
  work in London…..)

• I

  ‘m to

  make three of these cakes ( I

  must
  / am supposed to

  make three….. )

• He

  ‘s to

  stand as candidate for the presidency (
  He

  is going to

  stand…..)

• The children

  were
  to

  stay at home that
  afternoon (The children were
  meant to / were going to …..)

• After that, they

  were
  to

  get lost. (After that,
  they were going to
  get lost).

• After that, they

  were
  to

  go home (After that,

  they were supposed to

  go
  home).

• You

  ‘re
  to

  get better marks next time.
   (You

  must

  get
  better marks ….)

• When you get home, you

  ‘re
  to

  go straight
  to
  bed. (When you get home, you

  must

  go straight to bed).

Copyright   :

Website
and texts © Linguapress.com 2012-2022 except where
otherwise
indicated

In everyday English, the auxiliarycan often but not always be replaced byto express a verb in the passive, whether in progressive or simple aspect.Remember thatThe verbis occasionally used as a modal auxiliary; but in this it is a strange verb, as it can have either a value of futurity, or a value of obligation, or something between the two, supposition.In the first and third persons, it is a modal whose most common value is: in the second person, its main value is one of. However, this distinction is not always true.In other words, while “” would normally mean “” (futurity), “” would normally mean “” (mild obligation). However, in many cases, ambiguity is possible, even if context usually clarifies the meaning.Website and texts © Linguapress.com 2012-2022 except where otherwise indicated