Be verbs in English (irregular)

The verb “to be” stands as a cornerstone of the English language, serving as one of the most vital and versatile verbs. From linking subjects to descriptions and forming complex tenses to expressing existence, “be” verbs are indispensable in constructing meaningful sentences. This article explores the multifaceted roles of “to be,” breaking down its uses and conjugation across verb tenses, persons, and numbers. Whether you’re describing a state, indicating a location, or crafting advanced grammatical structures, understanding the whys and hows of “to be” is essential for mastering English.

Here’s a breakdown of how to use these linking verbs in English:

Linking verbs

• Connecting subjects to descriptions: “Be” verbs link a subject to a description (adjective, noun, or phrase).
  • Examples:
    • I am happy.
    • She is a doctor.
    • We are students.
    • The sky is blue.
• Indicating location: “Be” verbs show where something or someone is.
  • Examples:
    • The book is on the table.
    • They are at the park.

Forming tenses

• Continuous tenses: “Be” verbs help form continuous tenses (present continuous, past continuous, future continuous).
  • Examples:
    • I am eating. (Present Continuous)
    • She was sleeping. (Past Continuous)
    • They will be traveling. (Future Continuous)
• Passive voice: “Be” verbs are used in passive voice constructions.
  • Example: The cake was baked by my mom.

Existential statements

• “There is” and “There are” are used to indicate the existence of something.
  • Examples:
    • There is a cat on the roof.
    • There are many books in the library.

Key points

• Subject-verb agreement: The form of the verb “to be” must match the subject (I am, you are, he/she/it is, we are, they are).
• Tense changes: The form of “to be” changes depending on the tense of the sentence (am/is/are, was/were, will be).

In English, the verb “to be” is highly irregular and is conjugated differently based on tense, person, and number. Here’s how it conjugates across different tenses:

The simple tenses

Present simple

• I am (I am happy.)
• You are (You are here.)
• He/She/It is (He is tall. / She is funny. / It is raining.)
• We are (We are students.)
• They are (They are friends.)

Past simple

• I was (I was at home.)
• You were (You were late.)
• He/She/It was (He was sick. / She was there. / It was cold.)
• We were (We were together.)
• They were (They were busy.)

Future simple

• I will be (I will be there at 5.)
• You will be (You will be successful.)
• He/She/It will be (He will be here soon. / She will be happy. / It will be sunny.)
• We will be (We will be prepared.)
• They will be (They will be ready.)

The continuous tenses

Present continuous

• I am being (I am being honest.)
• You are being (You are being difficult.)
• He/She/It is being (He is being silly. / She is being kind. / It is being fixed.)
• We are being (We are being watched.)
• They are being (They are being helpful.)

Past continuous

• I was being (I was being careful.)
• You were being (You were being rude.)
• He/She/It was being (He was being sarcastic. / She was being supportive. / It was being looked at.)
• We were being (We were being watched.)
• They were being (They were being silly.)

Future continuous

• I will be working(I will be working from home tomorrow.)
• You will be doing (You will be doing that tomorrow.)
• He/She/It will be studying (He will be studying for his exam next week.)
• We will be traveling (We will be traveling to Europe this spring.)
• They will be flying (They be flying to Chicago for their vacation.)

The perfect tenses

Present Perfect

• I have been (I have been here for hours.)
• You have been (You have been busy.)
• He/She/It has been (He has been away. / She has been helpful. / It has been broken.)
• We have been (We have been waiting.)
• They have been (They have been working.)

Past perfect

• I had been (I had been asleep before you called.)
• You had been (You had been expecting this.)
• He/She/It had been (He had been sick. / She had been here before. / It had been lost.)
• We had been (We had been planning this for weeks.)
• They had been (They had been friends for years.)

Future perfect

• I will have been (By next year, I will have been living here for ten years.)
• You will have been (You will have been working there for a month by then.)
• He/She/It will have been (He will have been gone for a week. / She will have been here for an hour. / It will have been fixed by tomorrow.)
• We will have been (We will have been waiting for three hours.)
• They will have been (They will have been traveling for a year.)

The perfect continuous tenses

Present perfect continuous

• I have been helping (I have been helping them since I got home.)
• You have been helping (You have been helping us since nine.)
• He/She/It has been helping (He has been helping us since nine.)
• We have been helping (We have been helping them since nine.)
• They have been helping (They have been helping John since Tuesday.)

Past perfect continuous

• I had been helping (I had been asleep before you called.)
• You had been helping (You had been expecting this.)
• He/She/It had been helping (He had been sick. / She had been here before. / It had been lost.)
• We had been helping (We had been planning this for weeks.)
• They had been helping (They had been friends for years.)

Future perfect continuous

• I will have been living (By next year, I will have been living here for ten years.)
• You will have been working (You will have been working there for a month by then.)
• He/She/It will have been crying (He will have been crying for two hours.)
• We will have been waiting (We will have been waiting for three hours.)
• They will have been traveling (They will have been traveling for a year.)

This conjugation covers the most common tenses. Note that “to be” also functions in modal constructions like “should be,” “could be,” etc., but these are not listed here for brevity.

In summary

The verb “to be” is a fundamental building block in English, enabling a wide range of expressions through its role as a linking verb, a tense former, and an indicator of existence. It connects subjects to descriptions (e.g., “She is a doctor”), specifies locations (e.g., “The book is on the table”), and facilitates continuous tenses (e.g., “I am eating”) and passive voice (e.g., “The cake was baked”). Additionally, “to be” is key in existential statements like “There are many books.” Highly irregular, it changes form based on tense, person, and number—spanning simple (e.g., “I am,” “She was”), continuous (e.g., “They are being”), perfect (e.g., “He has been”), and perfect continuous tenses (e.g., “I will have been living”). This article provides a comprehensive guide to its conjugation and practical applications, offering clarity on its critical role in English grammar.

Read more: English verb conjugation explained