Often when learning a foreign language it becomes incomprehensible: how the word "be" in English. In addition, it translates to be how to exist, to be, to be, to be, to be, to be alive. The semantic content and form varies depending on the position of the verb in the text, the tense form, number, type of expression.
Key Values
According to the rules of English grammar, most sentences are constructed with a connecting verb. Considering the question of how the word "be" in English, one must immediately remember the basic forms to be: first person - am; second person and plural - are; the third person singular is.
It is important to follow the order of arrangement of proposal members depending on the form used:
- Affirmative - first comes the subject + the word "be" + then the predicate. I am a pilot. We are the family. She is a friend.
- Negative - subject + corresponding form to be + predicate. I am not a pilot. We are not the family. She is not a friend.
- Interrogative 1 - the verb to be + subject + predicate + the rest of the sentence comes first. Am I a pilot? (Am I a pilot?) Are we the family? (Are we family?) Is she a friend? (Is she a friend?).
- Separation question - consists of two parts: affirmative and interrogative. After the comma, the corresponding form of the verb to be is put in the interrogative expression, looking for confirmation of the interlocutor’s thoughts. I am a pilot, aren't I? (I'm a pilot, right?) Are we the family, aren't we? (We are a family, right?) She is a friend, isn't she? (She's a friend, right?).
The expressions in the interrogative part of the sentence aren't I, aren't we, isn't she translated in one common phrase - right? Moreover, the verb to be - in the form of am is often not used in this part, are used instead. However, this rule is valid only at the end of the expression in a negative form. If the first part, on the contrary, shows negation, then am: I am not a pilot, am I? (I'm not a pilot, is that so?).
Use in the text
The verb to be in modal form translates as the word "to be." You can draw a parallel for him - the analogue in Russian is the word "is". If you modify the design in this way, then its use becomes more understandable. I am an engineer - literally "I am an engineer."
In English, this verb is needed for linking words. For ease of constructing phrases, the verb to be should be omitted in Russian. Only at the beginning of training can the word "eat" be used. When a stable understanding of the issue is developed, how the word "be" in English and when it is necessary to write or pronounce its desired form, additional connecting words can be avoided when translating expressions.
Verb forms
Consider how the word "be" in sentences is used in English:
- A bunch of noun + app. - to be binds the members of the sentence: I am fine (I'm fine). My friend is happy. The cars are big.
- A bunch of verbs is required when answering the questions: "Who?" or "What is this?" Similar forms are used when you need to introduce yourself to the interlocutor, give your name, title, position. My boss is Genry. I am a father. Our parents are lawyers.
- The verb "be" is used to describe the origin of a person, as well as to indicate age. They are chinese. She is from Canada (She is from Canada). I'm twenty one.
- A bunch is required when describing the location of objects, countries, planets. London is located on island of Great Britain (London is located on the island of Great Britain). Knifes are in the kitchen. I am at the train station.
Abbreviated Negative Verb
In Russian, the grammatical load is absent from the word "to be." In English, to be must be used. The temporal form depends on the correctness of the construction of sentences. In addition to the not particle, the negative expression also has the verb of the corresponding form.
Often for readability, the forms of the verb to be and particles not are shortened. So for the expression he is, she is used he, she's. The negative kind of expression looks like he isn't, she isn't. For the first person I'm, denial I amn't. For we are, they are - we're, they're or we aren't, they aren't.
The abbreviated first-person verb with negation amn't found in some local dialects of the English language and in the United States.
In classical English literature one can find amn't analogues - it is ain't or an't. It is recommended to use the abbreviation of the verb to be if you want to highlight the negation in the expression: We're not friends. So the semantic meaning of the word “not” will be highlighted in the text.
However, it is not always possible to shorten the verb "to be." The have not form does not have a brief form in the following cases: when the semantic content is transmitted or it is a modal expression. Affirmative to be abbreviations are allowed only with personal pronouns. But when considering a third party, a single person may be abbreviated as be and have.
Use cases
In English, "to be" changes depending on time, number, as well as mood and face. In the past, use was / were, in the present - the previously listed forms, in the future - will. In completed times, respectively, had been (past completed), have / has been (present completed), will have been (future completed). Long form: was / were being (past long), am / is / are being (present long), will being (future long).
For Perfect Continuous times, the following are used: past - had been being, present - have been being, future - will have been being. The word "be" is used explicitly. If you want to connect the subject with other parts of the sentence, then “be” is replaced by other words: I will have been cooking ... - I cooked ... at some time.