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REFERENCE

be

v.
Irregular verb past was / were past participle been
  1. 1 linking a subject to a description (v.)
    A1 Beginner

    to connect a person or thing to a description, name, or job.

    the primary copula used to link a subject to a predicative adjective, noun phrase, or complement.

    Example

    The weather is very cold today, so you should wear a heavy coat.

    Example

    The results of the clinical trial were inconclusive, necessitating a second round of testing under more controlled conditions.

    Usage

    The verb is highly irregular (am, is, are, was, were, been, being) and must agree with the subject.

    Pitfall
    She is have a doctor.
    She is a doctor.

    Do not use 'have' when describing what someone is; use 'be' to link the person to their profession or identity.

  2. 2 location or existence (v.)
    A1 Beginner

    to exist or to be in a specific place.

    to exist in a particular place or state; often used with 'there' as a dummy subject to introduce new information.

    Example

    There are three apples on the table in the kitchen.

    Example

    There was a profound sense of relief among the staff once the merger was officially called off by the board.

    Usage

    Often used in the 'there is/are' construction to state that something exists.
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  1. 3 auxiliary for continuous actions (v.)
    A1 Beginner

    a helper verb used with another verb ending in '-ing' to show an action is happening now.

    an auxiliary verb used to form the progressive (continuous) aspect, indicating an ongoing action or state.

    Example

    They are playing football in the park at the moment.

    Example

    The research team is currently investigating the long-term effects of microplastics on marine ecosystems in the North Atlantic.

    Usage

    Followed by the present participle (-ing form) of the main verb.

    Pitfall
    I working now.
    I am working now.

    The '-ing' form of a verb requires a form of 'be' to function as a main verb in a sentence.

  2. 4 auxiliary for passive voice (v.)
    B1 Intermediate

    a helper verb used to show that something is happening to the subject.

    an auxiliary verb used with a past participle to form the passive voice, where the subject receives the action.

    Example

    The window was broken by a ball during the game.

    Example

    The ancient manuscript was discovered by a team of archaeologists working in a remote cave system last summer.

    Usage

    Followed by the past participle of the main verb.

  3. 5 to take place (v.)
    A2 Elementary

    to happen or occur at a specific time or place.

    to occur or take place; used to describe the scheduling or location of events.

    Example

    The party will be at my house next Saturday evening.

    Example

    The annual conference is to be in Geneva this year, following the success of last year's event in Singapore.
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