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Dec 14, 2022 · The to be verbs are am, are, is, was, and were, along with the bare infinitive be, the present participle being, and the past participle been. In this guide, we explain all you need to know about grammar for the verb to be. We’ll share all the forms and when to use them and give to be examples for each type of usage.
The Verb "To Be" Explained. This graphic shows how the different forms are used. (Notice that there are short forms too.) "To be" is a special verb because it can be used as a main verb or an auxiliary verb. As a main verb, it means "exist," "occur," or "happen."
We use be to talk about permanent or temporary qualities or states: He’s very rich. My father is old now. The weather was terrible. The food is so good in Italy. Warning: When we use there as a subject with be, we use there is + singular noun and there are + plural noun:
The verb “To be” also acts as a linking verb, joining the sentence subject with a subject complement or adjective complement. A linking verb provides no action to a sentence: the subject complement re-identifies the subject; the adjective complement modifies it.
May 10, 2024 · To be is the most irregular verb in the English language. Its most basic forms include the infinitive be , am , is , are , was , were , being and been . Here’s a quick rundown of them: Basic Forms of "To Be" Verbs. Uses.
The verb to be indicates a state of being or existence. To be is an irregular verb. There are eight forms of the verb to be: Present: am, is, are. Simple past: was, were. Infinitive: be. Present participle: being. Past participle: been. As far as irregular verbs go, to be is definitely the most irregular.
Do you know how to use the verb to be in the present simple? Test what you know with interactive exercises and read the explanation to help you.
