Verb to be in Present Simple: rules

The god of the sea from Greek mythology, Proteus was able to change shape in the blink of an eye. To get any information from him, you had to grab him and hold him tight while he took various forms: he could become a lion, a wild boar, a snake, a tree. The verb to be is considered the most promising in the English language.

Considering that we use it so often, it’s very bad that it is also the most unstable, constantly changing its forms and, perhaps, the most “slippery” in the English language. What are its main functions and uses? What forms does the verb to be in Present Simple, as well as Past and Future Tenses take? Learn all the grammatical subtleties of the main English verb from the article.

Forms

So, let's look at what forms the verb to be takes in Present Simple .

Keep your first verb exercise to be in Present Simple: learn all its forms. We must be extremely careful when choosing the correct form of the auxiliary verb so that it is consistent with the subject or person. Subjects in the singular require the use of a single form of the verb; plural, respectively, require plural.

Please note that in English when combining a pronoun with the verb to be, abbreviations are popular: I + am → I'm, you are → you're, he is / she is / it is → he's / she's / it's, we are → we're, they are → they're.

Do not forget that the verb to be changes in Present Simple, Past Simple and Future Simple. The following table will tell how this auxiliary verb tends depending on the person and number in the present, past and future tenses.

It is recommended to memorize all of the above forms, as this will significantly speed up the process of learning English, and will also contribute to understanding the basic grammar.

Why is it needed?

For many Russian-speaking people studying English, using the verb to be in Present Simple and endings that result from declensing verbs by faces are perhaps the most difficult topics to study. But if you can still come to terms with the endings, then the first question of using the auxiliary verb to be for most is covered with a dense fog of mystery and misunderstanding. As a result, the construction of, it would seem, even the most elementary phrases and sentences becomes a real problem. Why, why, in which cases do you need to use this ominous auxiliary verb?

Indeed, in the Russian language in the present tense, the use of the verb “exist,” “be,” or “appear” (yes, the verb to be in Present Simple has a huge number of translation variations) is completely superfluous. Why say “I am a girl”, “You are my friend”, “She is beautiful”, “We are the best friends” (We are the best friends), “They are teachers”? Why complicate the language? Now let's look at this auxiliary verb from a different angle.

Let's move into the past and transform all of the above examples in the past tense. “I was a girl”, “You were my friend”, “She was beautiful”, “We were the best friends” (We were the best friends) , “They were teachers”. In these sentences, the use of the same verb “to be” (“to be,” “to be”) no longer seems so strange, right? It is fair to say that it is necessary. Otherwise, how can we convey an action, fact or phenomenon from the past? “She was beautiful” and “She was beautiful” are two completely different sentences. She may not be pretty anymore, but that does matter, doesn't she? “You were my friend,” but now “You are not my friend.” Feel the difference?

So, just as in Russian it is necessary to use the verb “to be” (“to be”, “to be”) in the past (or even future tense: “You will be my friend!”), So in English it is necessary (and necessary) to use the verb to be in Present Simple!

One way to understand in which cases this verb should be used is the difference in the presence or absence of an action. Compare the following two sentences: I am a girl and I live here. In the first case (I am a girl) the action as such is absent, but in the second sentence (I live here) the action is: I live. This method can be used to explain the use of the verb to be in Present Simple for children.

The exercise is as follows: each time before translating or saying something in English, ask yourself: is there an action in this sentence? If the answer is no (for example, “They are my friends” - there is no action), then use the verb to be (They are my friends). Everything is simple!

Verb to be in Present Simple: rules of use

As mentioned earlier, to be is one of the most complex and fundamental verbs of the English language: not only complex constructions, but even the most elementary sentences would be impossible without it. The verb to be in Present Simple can be not only a simple and invisible bunch, it can be the main one, form passive constructions, and also be part of other, more complex tenses like Perfect and Progressive. Therefore, it should be treated with respect and attention.

To be like a bunch

So, to be is an auxiliary, linking verb. The name speaks for itself. He must bind together the parts of the sentence. So, with its help we attach to the subject either nouns or adjectives that serve to describe or identify the subject. For example, It is a book. The book is interesting.

To be as the main verb

When constructing sentences in English, one should clearly distinguish between the main (main) and auxiliary (auxiliary) verbs. To be can serve both as the first and as the second. And it is in the first case that it will be translated into Russian as “located”. For example, we compare the following sentences: The capital of Spain is Madrid (The capital of Spain is Madrid), but The capital of Spain is in Madrid (The capital of Spain is in Madrid). If in the first sentence to be plays the role of a linked verb, then in the second case it is basic, independent.

Constructs There is and There are

The list of grammatical topics that are incomprehensible to the average student studying English can be safely attributed to the constructions of There is and There are. In fact, this formula is extremely simple. This particular type of predicate always takes place in front of the subject. So, There is and There are used to indicate that something or someone is somewhere. Consider the following two suggestions: My friend is in the room (My friend is in the room), but There is my friend in the room (My friend is in the room). You may notice that the first sentence focuses on where the friend is. In the second case, the emphasis is placed on who is in the room.

To be: questions and denials

So, what do we know about the rules for constructing questions and negatives in English in Present Simple? Usually, the auxiliary verb to do (does for the 3rd person singular) appears in sentences and, if necessary, the negative particle not. However, since the verb to be is not so simple, when it comes to constructing interrogative and negative constructions, it does not lend itself to general rules. These exceptions are more understandable and enjoyable than frightening.

Let's start with the negatives. Here, everything is as simple as possible: add the negative particle not to the verb-bunch - you're done. I am a girl → I am not a girl. You are my friend → You are not my friend. She is beautiful → She is not beautiful, etc.

The best exercises for the verb to be Present Simple will be the practice of conversation. Try to name and describe all the things that you see around you. It is a cup. It is white. They are kids. They are young.

Do not forget about abbreviations: are not turns into aren't, is not → isn't. That's just the form am loves to be important and doesn't want to shrink.

When it comes to questions, everyone’s favorite inversion (or reverse word order) comes into play. However, even here everything is extremely simple. We simply transfer the verb to be to the first place. For example, Am I a girl? (Am I a girl?) Are they teachers? (Are they teachers?) Is she beautiful? (She's beautiful?).