What is the verb To Be? The usage of the verb To Be in different tenses in English

What is the verb To Be? How can we use the verb To Be correctly in each tense in English? Let’s delve into the concept, usage, and do some exercises on this grammar topic at the end of the article!

I. What is the verb To Be in English?

The verb To Be in English includes: be, are, am, is, was, were, been, and being. These forms describe the state of people, objects, or events. We often use the verb To Be to introduce a subject's age, nationality, occupation, or characteristics.

The verb To Be has different forms depending on the subject and the tense in the sentence. Here are some verb To Be examples:

• She wants to be a doctor.

• They are happy with their new house.

• I am a student.

• He is a teacher.

• She was at the party last night.

• We were excited about the trip.

• I have been to Japan twice. 

• She is being very helpful today.

II. Variants of the verb To Be in English

The variants of the verb To Be will differ, and you must conjugate based on the subject and tense of the sentence. You can refer to the table below:

1. Base form

For the base form, it typically depends on the grammatical structure of the sentence when the verb To Be must be in its base form. After modal verbs (can, could, may, might, etc.), the verb must be in its base form. For example:

• It might be easy.

• It can be a photo.

2. Verb To Be in Present Simple

The formula with the verb To Be in the present simple is as follows:

Conjugate the verb To Be:

• For the subject "I," the verb To Be is "am." Example: I am very happy.

• For the subjects "He," "She," "It," or any singular and uncountable nouns, the verb To Be is "is." Example: He is very happy.

• For the subjects "You," "We," "They," and any plural noun, the verb To Be is "are." Example: We are very happy.

3. Verb To Be in Past Simple

Conjugate the verb To Be:

• For the subjects "I," "He," "She," "It," or any singular and uncountable nouns, the verb To Be is "was." Example: He was very hungry.

• For the subjects "You," "We," "They," or any plural nouns, the verb To Be is "were." Example: We were here together.

4. The Verb To Be in Future Simple Tense

Conjugate the verb To Be: In the future simple tense, the verb To Be is in its base form and is combined with "will" as shown in the structure in the table above.

5. The Verb To Be in Continuous Form

Conjugate the verb To Be: In this tense, the verb To Be is conjugated as "being" along with is/are/am. Use is, are, or am depending on the subject, as in the present simple tense.

6. The Verb To Be in Perfect Form

Conjugate the verb To Be:

• In this tense, the verb To Be is conjugated as "been," combined with "have/has" in the structure. For the subjects "They," "We," "You," and "I," as well as plural subjects, we use "have." Example: They have been at the school for 1 hour.

• For the subjects "He," "She," "It," or any singular and uncountable nouns, we use "has." Example: He has been at the school for 1 hour.

7. The Verb To Be in Passive Form

Conjugate the verb To Be: In this form, we rely on the subject and the tense of the sentence to conjugate the verb To Be accordingly.

Example:

• The cake was made by mom yesterday. 

• The cakes were made by my mom yesterday. 

III. Position of the Verb To Be in sentences & its usage

Let’s explore the position of the verb To Be in sentences and how to use it below!

IV. Advanced usage of the Verb To Be in English

Let’s explore the advanced usage of the verb To Be in English below!

1. To Be + of + noun 

Used to indicate the quality or emotion of a subject. Example:

• Education is of great importance. 

• Jack is of medium height.

2. To Be + to + V

Used to express instructions, commands, or planned intentions. Example: 

• He is to finish his homework by 10pm. 

• They are to fulfill their promises. 

3. To Be about + to do something 

Used to express an intention or plan. Example: 

• I am about to travel around the world. 

• She was about to call him when her phone rang. 

V. Verb To Be exercises

Here are some exercises with the verb To Be for you to practice. PREP recommends that after reading the theory, you take time to complete the exercises, as this will help you remember the material much better.

1. Exercise

Exercise 1: Conjugate the verb To Be in the appropriate form

1. It _____cold today.

2. She _____ an engineer.

3. They _____so kind yesterday.

4. He _____12 years old 2 years ago.

5. Everything will _____better soon. Don’t worry!

6. I _____ very tired now

7. We _____.studying English for 6 years.

8. That patient _____ treated by a good doctor.

9. The dog _____ taken care of by him since 2016.

10. Education ___ important.

Exercise 2: Each sentence is missing a verb To Be to make it complete; fill in the verb To Be to complete the sentences

1. He my good friend (is).

2. It generous of you to give me this pen (was).

3. It a good opportunity for us to discuss this issue (is).

4. Her grandparents 70 years old when she born (were/was).

5. It will completed the next day (be).

6. The television next to the book (is).

7. We taken by Mr.Tom by car (were).

8. His house on Milsom street (is).

9. I a student (am)

10. She washing her hands at the moment. (is)

2. Answer

Thus, PREP has provided detailed knowledge for you to clearly understand the structure of the verb To Be from basic to advanced levels. Let’s read the theory carefully and do the exercises to solidify your understanding!