SCG Language Tutorials English Grammar - English Verbs

THE ENGLISH VERBS "TO BE" & "BEING"

be                  The IMPERATIVE FORM for use with modals, after "to"

is, are, am    The PRESENT TENSE

's, 're, 'm       The CONTRACTED forms of the PRESENT TENSE

was               The SINGULAR PAST TENSE

were              The PLURAL PAST TENSE

been              The PAST PARTICIPLE

being             The GERUND ["ing"] form

EXAMPLES of usage: 

be

After PARTICLE MODALS or PROPOSITIONS

 

I will be there sometime today.

I might be working late tonight.

 

Use "be" and "to" in the INFINITIVE CASE

 

He wants to be an actor

"To be or not to be - that is the question."

 

Use "be" in the IMPERATIVE CASE

 

Be nice now, don't let her rile you.

Oh please be quiet!

is/am/are/isn't/aren't

Use "is" with "he", "she", or "it" in the PRESENT TENSE

 

Annabelle is sick today.

She is a doctor.

It is not really the right time.

 

Use 's as the CONTRACTION of "is" and "isn't" for "is not"

 

Joe is not here at the moment.

Joe's not here at the moment.

Joe isn't here at the moment.

 

Use "is" with "he", "she", or "it" in the PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE

 

Lacey is eating her dinner at the moment.

There is a dog running down the middle of the road.

She's still talking on the phone.

My girlfriend's leaving to fly home tomorrow.

 

Use "am" with "I" in the PRESENT TENSE

 

I am not a Scotsman.

I am an engineer.

 

Use "'m" as the CONTRACTION of "I am" in the PRESENT TENSE

 

I'm going down to the shops.

I'm not happy here.

 

Use "are" with "we", "you" and "they" in the PRESENT TENSE

 

We are on the train at the moment.

You are quite wrong about that.

They are always getting in the way.

 

Use "'re" as the CONTRACTION of "are" in the PRESENT TENSE

 

We're coming into the building.

You're not kidding!

They're lost somewhere on the ring-road.

 

Use "are" with "we", "you" and "they" in the PRESENT CONTINUOUS

 

We are running as fast as we can.

You are joking!

They are hardly moving.

 

The negative "are not" can be contracted in two ways:

We are not paying those prices.

We're not paying those prices.

We aren't paying those prices.

was/were

Use "was" with "I" and "he"/"she"/"it" in the PAST TENSE

 

Excuse me, I was still speaking.

Tracey was here yesterday and so was Jacqui.

He was in the dentist's chair for almost two hours.

It was the biggest tower in the world.

 

Use "were" with "we", "you" and "they" in the PAST TENSE

 

We were in Brazil last week.

You were on vacation?

No, they were visiting a client.

 

The negatives "was not" and "were not" can be contracted as "wasn't" and "weren't":

 

I wasn't aware that you'd called.

You weren't listening.

She wasn't listening to anything.

We weren't able to get any beer without ID.

You weren't old enough to buy beer?

They weren't going to let us have it anyway.

been

Use "been" after "have", "has" and "had"

I have never been to Brazil.

I had never been to Brazil before.

You have been in the bathroom for over an hour.

You had been in there so long, I thought you'd climbed out the window!

She has been on the West End stage for two decades.

She had been in freefall for most of her adult life.

We have been living on the edge for too long.

We should have been more careful.

You have been waiting for this for so long.

You should have been paying more attention.

They had been down for too long, they risked getting the bends.

They have never been out of my thoughts.

 

being

Use "being" when a GERUND ["-ing"] form of "be" is required

 

Being a good sport is the English character.

Being on time is a courtesy to other people.

 

Use "being" when "be" is to be used in the CONTINUOUS TENSE

 

I am sorry, I was just being an idiot last night.

 

For PAST and PRESENT TENSES, the English verb "be" has different forms:

 

We define the verb "to be" as indicating the existence, temporary condition or permanent status of something.

EXAMPLES:

"It is a really hot day today." "Yes, it is."

"The Chief's on leave this week. I'm in charge."

"Suzy and Sarah are identical twins." "No they're not, they're just twins."

Kenya is a member of the Commonwealth.

"You weren't in Church this week. Are you alright?" I am now, but I was sick on Sunday."

Examples of the BASE FORM, PAST PARTICPLE and GERUND FORM:

The Terminator's catch phrase is "I'll be back!"

Sergio has been leading the singing.

You're being nice to me today? How much is this going to cost me?

We can use the verb "to be" in PROGRESSIVE TENSES and with PASSIVES and PREPOSITIONAL COLLOCATIONS

PROGRESSIVE TENSES

Alain is speaking on the radio at the moment. The last time he was broadcasting, he was speaking from a studio in Heathrow Airport. I think he was leaving the country when we heard from him last. He has been living in Spain since then.

PASSIVE VOICE

People were surprised by the bugging campaign of News International. They were stopped by a police investigation. One of their editors was arrested.

PREPOSITIONAL COLLOCATION

My girlfriend is fond of chocolate ice cream. She is not concerned about the calories. She says that I'm only interested in superficial things.

EXERCISE:

Create your own examples of Progressive Tenses, Passive Voice and Prepositional Collocation. Use the lists of English verbs provided elsewhere in this course.