How to Use the Verb "To Be" in English

English is full of important verbs that serve different purposes, such as forming the predicate of a sentence or helping create proper structures. One of the most essential of these is the verb "to be."

This verb changes its form depending on the pronoun and tense, and its position in a sentence can vary too. Understanding the rules of the verb "to be" can be a bit challenging for beginners, but it’s an essential topic to grasp to communicate clearly in English.

In this article, we’ll explain in a simple way what the verb "to be" means, share the main rules for using it correctly, and provide practical examples so you can see how it works in different contexts. Let’s get started!

What Is the Verb "To Be"?

The verb "to be" is one of the most important verbs in English. It’s primarily used to indicate the existence of something or someone. This allows us to talk about how things are, how we feel, where we are, or even how old we are.

Additionally, it serves as an auxiliary verb to form sentences in different tenses, the passive voice, and even imperative sentences. Examples of the verb "to be":

• I am a student.
• The book is on the table.
• We are studying.
• The cake was baked by John.
• Be still!

Many common English expressions include the verb "to be," such as to be happy or to be late. It’s an essential verb that you’ll encounter constantly as you learn English.

Forms of the verb “to be”

The verb "to be" can take on several forms, each with a specific purpose that helps us communicate different ideas in English. Below is a simple table explaining its forms, their uses, and examples of sentences with the verb "to be."

As you can see, the verb "to be" is one of the most fundamental and versatile verbs in the English language. It serves as the foundation for many sentence structures.

Next, we’ll look in more detail at how these different forms of "to be" can be used in various contexts.

Simple Present and Simple Past Tense

The most common way to use "to be" is in sentences that are in the simple present or simple past tense. Let's take a look at the correct form for these:

Additionally, these forms of "to be" are also used in the present and past continuous tenses, where they represent an ongoing action. In these cases, "to be" acts as an auxiliary verb, helping form a unique grammatical structure. For example:

• She is studying now.
• They were playing chess.

In summary, the verb "to be" demonstrates remarkable flexibility and variation in its forms, adapting to different subjects and tenses in English. Each form plays a unique role in sentence construction:

• Denoting states of being (I am tired).
• Forming verb tenses (He is working).
• Creating passive constructions (The book was written).

Understanding these forms is essential to mastering English grammar.

Simple Future Tense and its Use with Modal Verbs

The verb "to be" in the simple future tense has some important rules that you need to know, especially when using it with "will", "going to", or modal verbs. Here’s a simple explanation for each case:

Use of "will"

When you use "will", the verb "to be" does not change. The structure is: Subject + will + be

Examples:

• I will be there at 8.
• Granny will be happy to see you.

Use of "going to be"

When you use "going to be", the verb "to be" changes according to the subject. The structure is: Subject + am/is/are + going to + be

Examples:

• I am going to be a doctor.
• It’s going to be cold tomorrow. 

Using Modal Verbs

When you use modal verbs like must, might, or can, the verb "to be" does not change. The structure is: Subject + modal verb + be

Examples:

• You must be tired after the long trip.
• They might be at the cinema.
• She can be very persuasive.

Practicing the use of the verb "to be" in these contexts will help you understand that it's not as complicated as it seems. However, it’s essential to use the structures correctly to express a wide range of meanings and nuances.

Grammatical Rules of the Verb "To Be"

To use the different forms of the verb "to be" correctly, it's important to follow some basic rules that will help you express your ideas clearly and accurately. Here are the most important ones:

1. Subject-Verb Agreement

The form of the verb "to be" must match the subject in number and person. This means it changes depending on whether the subject is singular or plural, and who is performing the action.

Example:

• Incorrect: We am going to the school.
• Correct: We are going to the school.

Remember:

• Am → used with "I"
• Is → used with "he, she, it" (singular)
• Are → used with "we, you, they" (plural or second person)

2. Using Existential Constructions ("There is" and "There are")

When you want to talk about the existence of something, use "there is" (for singular) and "there are" (for plural). Examples:

• There is a book on the table.
• There are many students in the class.

3. Changing structure according to tense

The verb "to be" adapts to the verb tense of the sentence. For example:

• Present: She is happy.
• Past: She was happy.
• Future: She will be happy.

Using the verb "to be" correctly means paying attention to the subject, the verb tense, and the context of the sentence.

Negative Sentences

The verb "to be" is used in negative sentences to express the opposite or to negate an affirmation. The rules can vary depending on the tense:

1. Present and Past

To form a negative sentence, add "not" after the correct form of "to be."
Examples:

• I’m not hungry.
• You are not late.
• Jake was not at the party.
• His teammates weren’t prepared for the game.

2. Future

There are two ways to negate in the future:

• With "will": Place "not" after "will" or use the contraction "won’t." Examples:
• I will not be a doctor.
• She won’t be a student anymore.
• With "be going to": Place "not" just before "going to." Examples:
• I am not going to be at Jake’s party.
• She is not going to be an actress.

Interrogative Sentences

Interrogative sentences with "to be" are formed in two main ways:

1. Subject-Verb Inversion

Invert the subject and the correct form of "to be" to make questions. Structure: Be + subject + other part of the sentence.

Examples:

• Am I late?
• Are you coming to the party?
• Is she your sister?
• Were they at the concert?

2. Using Interrogative Words

To ask for specific information, use words like who, what, where, why, or how before the verb. Structure: Interrogative word + be + subject + other part of the sentence.

Examples:

• Who is at the door?
• What are you doing?
• Where were they last night?
• Why is he upset?
• How am I supposed to do this?

5

Question tags

These are short questions added at the end of a statement to ask for confirmation or agreement. Structure for affirmations: Verb to be + personal pronoun + not. Structure for negations: Verb to be + personal pronoun.

Examples:

• You are coming to the party, aren’t you?
• She is your friend, isn’t she?
• They were at the store, weren’t they?

Imperative Sentences

Imperative sentences are used to give orders, instructions, or make requests.

Affirmative

Use the base form (infinitive) of the verb "to be." Examples:

• Be quiet!
• Be careful!
• Be there at 9 a.m.

Negatives

Add "don’t" before "be." Examples:

• Don’t be late.
• Don’t be rude.
• Don’t be careless.

Politeness

To be more polite, you can add "please" or phrases like "could you." Examples:

• Please be quiet.
• Don’t be too hard on yourself, please.
• Could you be there on time, please?

Common Expressions with "To Be"

English is full of idiomatic expressions that include the verb "to be," each with a specific meaning:

1. To be up to: Means being busy with something or being responsible for an activity. Example:

• What are you up to this weekend?

2. To be into: Means having a great interest or passion for something. Example:

• She is really into classical music.

3. To be over: Means that something has finished or concluded. Example:

• The movie is over.

4. To be off: Can refer to leaving or starting a trip, or indicate something is wrong. Examples:

• I will be off for the night.
• Something seems to be off with this report.

5. To be down to: Means being willing to do something, or refers to having a reduced amount of something.
Examples:

• I'm down to go hiking this weekend.
• We are down to the last piece of cake.

6. To be out of: Means that something is out or lacking. Example:

• We are out of milk.

7. To be on to: Means realizing something, such as a truth or an idea. Example:

• I think he's on to us.

8. To be in for: Means that something is likely to happen, often a challenge or a surprise. Example:

• You're in for a treat!

These expressions show not only the flexibility of the verb "to be" but also help you communicate more fluently and naturally, just like a native speaker.

Conclusion

The verb "to be" is fundamental in English, both in its basic uses and its idiomatic expressions. Although some rules might seem a little confusing at first, with regular practice, you’ll master them in no time.

With resources like the Promova app and its exercises based on real-life situations, you'll improve your use of the verb "to be" and become a confident, effective communicator.