GRAMMAR AND SENTENCE STRUCTURE: The Verb Be

The most frequently经常地 used verb in the English language is the

verb be. The verb has five main forms: am, is, are, was and were.

I am a student.

My writing is good.

My friends are here.

I was a good student in kindergarten. 幼儿园

The questions on the quiz测验 were difficult.

  There are four commonly普通地 used sentence patterns 模式 for the

verb be is usually an adjective形容词 (a word that describes描述 a

noun), A noun, or a place phrase.[费瑞斯]短语

Subject + be + adjective 

This tuna金枪鱼 salad is delicious.美味的

Subject + be + noun (often a profession表白) 

This tuna salad is a delicious dish.盘、盘装菜

Subject + be + place phrase

This tuna salad is on the table.

          When you begin a sentence with There, the subject is after be.

     4.

There + be + subject + (extra information: usually place or time)

There is a tuna salad sandwich on the table.

There were two empty plates on the table this morning.

There was a big sale on canned 罐装的 tuna last week.

When you have a sentence with be + verb + ing,

then be is not the main verb.

Example:

I am studying English. à verb: am studying (from study)

          but

I am a student.            à  verb: am (from be)