Auxiliary verbs: to be

Some examples of to be used as an auxiliary verb are:

Present continuous tense:

To be is used with the present participle (ing form) of the main verb to indicate an action that is currently happening.

Example: She is studying for her exam.

Past continuous tense:

To be is used with the past participle (-ing form) of the main verb to indicate an action that was happening in the past at a specific time.

Example: I was watching TV when she called me.

Passive voice:

To be is used with the past participle of the main verb to form the passive voice, which puts the emphasis on the action being done, rather than who is doing it.

Example: The cake was baked by my sister.

Present perfect tense:

To be is used with the past participle of the main verb to form the present perfect tense, which indicates that an action was completed in the past and has relevance to the present.

Example: They have been married for ten years.

Past Perfect tense:

To be is used with the past participle of the main verb to form the past perfect tense, which indicates that an action was completed before another past action.

Example: I had been studying for two hours when my friend arrived.

Examples:

Affirmative:

I am happy.

She is studying for her exam.

We are going to the beach tomorrow.

Negative:

I am not feeling well.

She is not coming to the party.

They are not interested in buying the house.

Questions:

Are you ready to leave?

Is she your sister?

Are they coming to the concert?

Note that in questions, the subject and the auxiliary verb are inverted. Also, in negative sentences, the word not is added after the auxiliary verb.

To be in the imperative and subjunctive mood:

Imperative mood:

To be is used in the imperative mood to give commands or make requests.

The subject is usually implied and the verb is in the base form (infinitive form without to.)

Examples:

Be quiet! (command)

Be careful! (request)

Be yourself! (advice)

Subjunctive mood:

To be is used in the subjunctive mood to express hypothetical or non-real situations, as well as to express wishes, doubts, or uncertainty.

The subjunctive form of to be is be for all subjects.

Examples: If I were rich, I would travel the world. (hypothetical situation)

It’s important that he be on time. (expressing necessity or requirement)

I wish I were taller. (expressing a wish or desire)

Negative imperative:

To form a negative imperative, use do not or don’t before the base form of the verb.

Example: Don’t be late! (negative command/request)

Negative subjunctive:

To form a negative subjunctive, use not before be.

Example: It’s important that he not be late. (expressing necessity or requirement with a negative condition)

Negative past simple:

To form a negative past simple sentence, use the auxiliary verb was not or were not before the main verb.

Example: I was not feeling well yesterday.

They were not happy with the results.

Negative past continuous:

To form a negative past continuous sentence, use the auxiliary verb was not or were not before the present participle (-ing form) of the main verb.

Example: I was not studying when she called me.

They were not watching TV at that time.

Negative past perfect:

To form a negative past perfect sentence, use the auxiliary verb had not before the past participle of the main verb.

Example: She had not been to New York before she went there last year.

They had not finished the project by the deadline.

Reducing ” BE” Verbs:

The reduced forms of to be as an auxiliary verb in the present and past indefinite are commonly used in spoken English.

Examples:

Present indefinite:

I’m (I am)

You’re (You are)

He’s (He is), She’s (She is), It’s (It is)

We’re (We are)

They’re (They are)

Past indefinite:

I was

You were

He was, She was, It was

We were

They were

Note that in the present indefinite, the contracted forms of to be are often used in informal situations or when speaking quickly. In the past indefinite, the contracted forms are used in both formal and informal situations.