I. AUXILIARY VERB USES
/bi, STRONG bi:/
( am, are, is, being, was, were, been)
Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
Note: In spoken English, forms of 'be' are often shortened, for example ‘I am’ is shortened to ‘I’m’ and ‘was not’ is shortened to ‘wasn’t’.
1.
You use be with a present participle to form the continuous tenses of verbs.
This is happening in every school throughout the country...
She didn’t always think carefully about what she was doing...
be going to: see going
AUX : AUX -ing , AUX -ing
2.
You use be with a past participle to form the passive voice.
Forensic experts were called in...
Her husband was killed in a car crash...
The cost of electricity from coal-fired stations is expected to fall...
Similar action is being taken by the US government.
AUX : AUX -ed , AUX -ed , AUX -ed , AUX -ed
3.
You use be with an infinitive to indicate that something is planned to happen, that it will definitely happen, or that it must happen.
The talks are to begin tomorrow...
It was to be Johnson’s first meeting with the board in nearly a month...
You are to answer to Brian, to take your orders from him.
be about to: see about
AUX : AUX to-inf , AUX to-inf , AUX to-inf
4.
You use be with an infinitive to say or ask what should happen or be done in a particular situation, how it should happen, or who should do it.
What am I to do without him?...
Who is to say which of them had more power?...
AUX : AUX to-inf , AUX to-inf
5.
You use was and were with an infinitive to talk about something that happened later than the time you are discussing, and was not planned or certain at that time.
Then he received a phone call that was to change his life...
A few hours later he was to prove it.
AUX : AUX to-inf , AUX to-inf
6.
You can say that something is to be seen, heard, or found in a particular place to mean that people can see it, hear it, or find it in that place.
Little traffic was to be seen on the streets...
They are to be found all over the world.
AUX : AUX -ed , AUX -ed
II. OTHER VERB USES
/bi, STRONG bi:/
( am, are, is, being, was, were, been)
Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
Note: In spoken English, forms of 'be' are often shortened, for example ‘I am’ is shortened to ‘I’m’ and ‘was not’ is shortened to ‘wasn’t’.
1.
You use be to introduce more information about the subject, such as its identity, nature, qualities, or position.
She’s my mother...
He is a very attractive man...
My grandfather was a butcher...
The fact that you were willing to pay in the end is all that matters...
The sky was black...
It is 1,267 feet high...
Cheney was in Madrid...
His house is next door...
‘Is it safe?’—‘Well of course it is.’...
He’s still alive isn’t he?
V-LINK : V n , V n , V n , V n , V adj , V adj , V prep / adv , V prep / adv , V , V
2.
You use be , with ‘it’ as the subject, in clauses where you are describing something or giving your judgment of a situation.
It was too chilly for swimming...
Sometimes it is necessary to say no...
It is likely that investors will face losses...
It’s nice having friends to chat to...
It’s a good thing I brought lots of handkerchiefs...
It’s no good just having meetings...
It’s a good idea to avoid refined food...
It’s up to us to prove it.
V-LINK : it V adj , it V adj to-inf , it V adj that , it V adj -ing , it V n that , it V n -ing , it V n to-inf , it V prep to-inf
3.
You use be with the impersonal pronoun ‘there’ in expressions like there is and there are to say that something exists or happens.
Clearly there is a problem here...
There are very few cars on this street...
There was nothing new in the letter...
V-LINK : there V n , there V n , there V n
4.
You use be as a link between a subject and a clause and in certain other clause structures, as shown below.
It was me she didn’t like, not what I represented...
What the media should not do is to exploit people’s natural fears...
Our greatest problem is convincing them...
The question was whether protection could be improved...
All she knew was that I’d had a broken marriage...
Local residents said it was as if there had been a nuclear explosion.
V-LINK : V n , V to-inf , V -ing , V wh , V that , V as if
5.
You use be in expressions like the thing is and the point is to introduce a clause in which you make a statement or give your opinion. ( SPOKEN )
The fact is, the players gave everything they had...
The plan is good; the problem is it doesn’t go far enough.
V-LINK : V cl , V cl
6.
You use be in expressions like to be fair , to be honest , or to be serious to introduce an additional statement or opinion, and to indicate that you are trying to be fair, honest, or serious.
She’s always noticed. But then, to be honest, Ghislaine likes being noticed...
It enabled students to devote more time to their studies, or to be more accurate, more time to relaxation.
V-LINK : V adj , V adj
7.
The form ‘ be ’ is used occasionally instead of the normal forms of the present tense, especially after ‘whether’. ( FORMAL )
The chemical agent, whether it be mustard gas or nerve gas, can be absorbed by the skin.
V-LINK : be n
8.
If something is , it exists. ( mainly FORMAL or LITERARY )
VERB
9.
To be yourself means to behave in the way that is right and natural for you and your personality.
She’d learnt to be herself and to stand up for her convictions.
V-LINK : V pron-refl
10.
If you talk about what would happen if it wasn’t for someone or something, you mean that they are the only thing that is preventing it from happening.
I could happily move back into a flat if it wasn’t for the fact that I’d miss my garden...
If it hadn’t been for her your father would be alive today.
PHRASE : V inflects , PHR n
11.
You say ‘ Be that as it may ’ when you want to move onto another subject or go further with the discussion, without deciding whether what has just been said is right or wrong.
‘Is he still just as fat?’—‘I wouldn’t know,’ continued her mother, ignoring the interruption, ‘and be that as it may, he has made a fortune.’
PHRASE [ vagueness ]