oxford_guide_to_english_grammar

11 BE, HAVE AND DO PAGE 106
2 Form
Present simple
I am
you/we/they are
he/she/it is
Past simple
I/he/she/it was
you/we/they were
Present continuous
I am being
you/we/they are being
he/she/it is being
Past continuous
I/he/she/it was being
you/we/they were being
Present perfect
I/you/we/they have been
he/she/it has been
Past perfect
everyone had been
In simple tenses we add n't/not for the negative, and there is inversion of be and
the subject in questions.
This pen isn't very good. NOT This pen doesn't be very good.
Were your friends there? NOT Did your friends be there?
3 Be with the continuous
We can use be with the continuous for behaviour over a period of time.
The neighbours are being noisy today. The children were being silly.
Compare these two sentences.
You're being stupid. (behaviour for a time)
You're stupid. (permanent quality)
NOTE
We can use be in the imperative for behaviour.
Be quiet. Don't be silly. Do be careful.
4 Be, lie and stand
We often use be to say where something is.
York is/lies on the River Ouse. The building was/stood at a busy crossroads.
Here lie and stand are more formal and literary than be.
5 Other uses of be
We can also use be in these contexts.
Events: The match was last Saturday.
Identity: Mr Crosby, this is my father.
Age:
I'll be eighteen in November.
Nationality: We're Swedish. We're from/We come from Stockholm.
Jobs:
My sister is a lawyer.