1.1. Be or other verbs?
The verb “to be” is one of the most essential and versatile verbs in the English language. It serves various functions and is used in different forms depending on the tense and the subject of the sentence. Here are the key uses of the verb “to be”:
1. Identifying and Describing:
- Present Simple:
- I am a teacher.
- She is happy.
- Past Simple:
- They were students.
- He was tired.
- Future Simple:
- You will be successful.
- It will be interesting.
2. Location:
- Present Simple:
- The book is on the shelf.
- We are at the park.
- Past Simple:
- He was in the office.
- The keys were on the table.
3. Existence:
- Present Simple:
- There is a cat in the room.
- There are many books on the shelf.
- Past Simple:
- There was a party last night.
- There were no problems.
4. Occupation:
- Present Simple:
- She is a doctor.
- They are students.
- Past Simple:
- He was a chef.
- We were teachers.
5. Nationality and Origin:
- Present Simple:
- She is Italian.
- They are from Brazil.
- Past Simple:
- He was French.
- We were born in Canada.
6. Continuous Forms (Expressing an Ongoing Action):
- Present Continuous:
- I am studying for the exam.
- She is working on a project.
- Past Continuous:
- They were playing basketball.
- He was cooking dinner.
7. Perfect Forms (Expressing Completed Actions):
- Present Perfect:
- We have been to Paris.
- She has seen that movie.
- Past Perfect:
- They had finished the work before the deadline.
- I had never been to Asia before.
8. Passive Voice:
- Present Simple Passive:
- The book is read by many students.
- The documents are signed by the manager.
- Past Simple Passive:
- The letter was written by Sarah.
- The cake was eaten by the children.
9. Conditional Sentences:
- Zero Conditional:
- If it is hot, I stay inside.
- First Conditional:
- If she is hungry, she will eat.
- Second Conditional:
- If he were here, he would help.
- Third Conditional:
- If I had known, I would have come.
10. Commands and Instructions:
- Present Simple:
- Be quiet!
- Be careful.
11. Questions:
- Present Simple:
- Are you ready?
- Is she coming?
- Past Simple:
- Were they at the party?
- Was he in the meeting?
12. Tag Questions:
- She is coming, isn't she? - You were at the concert, weren't you?
13. In Short Answers:
- Short Answer Form:
- Is he a doctor? Yes, he is.
- Are they from Italy? No, they aren’t.
14. In Wh-Questions:
- Present Simple:
- Where is he from?
- What is your name?
Important Notes:
- In the present tense, “to be” has three forms: am (I), is (he, she, it), are (you, we, they).
- In the past tense, “to be” has two forms: was (I, he, she, it), were (you, we, they).
Understanding how “to be” functions in these various contexts is fundamental for constructing meaningful and grammatically correct sentences.
Verb to Be vs. Other Verbs Exercise: Fill in the Blanks
Fill in the blanks with the correct form of “to be” and add a sentence with the appropriate form of the other verbs provided in parentheses. E.g., you’re given the sentence and the verb in parenthesis: “My friends and I ___ at the movies last night. (watch)”. Your sentence(s) would be: My friends and I were at the movies last night and we were watching a new film. (watch)
- My friends and I ___ at the movies last night. (watch)
- She ___ a talented musician. (play)
- We ___ excited about the upcoming trip. (feel)
- The book ___ on the shelf. (lie)
- They ___ very friendly people. (be)
- I ___ in the garden when it started raining. (work)
- This question ___ difficult. (seem)
- The kids ___ their lunch in the cafeteria. (eat)
- He ___ a fantastic actor. (perform)
- Yesterday, I ___ a message for you. (leave)
- It ___ a beautiful sunset. (be)
- The cat ___ under the table. (hide)
Answers:
- My friends and I were at the movies last night and we were watching a new film. (watch)
- She is a talented musician. She plays different instruments. (play)
- We are excited about the upcoming trip. We are feeling excited. (feel)
- The book is on the shelf. The book is lying on the shelf. (lie)
- They are very friendly people. (be)
- I was in the garden when it started raining. I was working there. (work)
- This question is difficult. The question seems difficult. (seem)
- The kids are eating their lunch in the cafeteria. They are in the cafeteria. (eat, be)
- He is a fantastic actor. He is performing well his job. (perform)
- Yesterday, I left a message for you. It was on the table. (leave, be)
- It was a beautiful sunset. (be)
- The cat is under the table. It is hiding there. (hide)
Now find the right translation to the sentences.
Find the correct sentences.