英语的“be”是个特别动词；有些语言，如中文和马来文，并没有“be”这样的动词。 “Be”除了原形的“be”之外，还有另外七种形式：am, is, are, been, being, was, were. 在句子中，“be”可以是主动词(The Principal Verb)或助动词(The Auxiliary Verb). 当主动词时，“be”在性质上属于接系动词(The Linking Verb), 后面要有名词、形容词、地方副词或短语作补足语(The Complement)。例如： 1. The man is a science teacher. 2. Mary's new dresses are colourful. 3. I have been there before. 4. Mother is in the kitchen now. 这四个都是陈述句，可以变成疑问句，方法简单，把主语和“be”或助动词对换位置即可： 5. Is the man a science teacher? 6. Are Mary's new dresses colourful? 7. Have I been there before? 8. Is mother in the kitchen now? 当“be”要在祈使句中出现时，它必须借重助动词“do”或“don't”之助，如： 9. Don't be silly! 10. Do be obedient! 11. Don't be a fool! “Be”有两种缩写法，如下： 12. He's not...../He isn't.... 13. You're not...../You aren't... 但“am + not”的缩写法只有一个： 14. I'm not. 有人用“ain't”, 但这并不是标准英语。 谈过了“be”作主动词的功能，现在看看“be”作助动词时，有些什么用法： 1.“Be + 现在分词”以组成进行式时态(Continuous Tenses)，如： 15. Tony's maid is washing his new car. 16. The children are playing in the field. 17. Samuel was eating when I came in. 18. We have been living here since 1959. 2.“Be + 过去分词”以组成被动语态(The Passive Voice),如： 19. Her money in the drawer was stolen. 20. A number of good jobs are taken up byforeigners. 21. David studied in Taiwan but has been trained as a language lecturer in America. 22. Can all the wonderful birds be found in our Bird Park? 23. The disobedient boy was told to stand out- side the classroom. 24. Steps are being taken to reduce traffic con- gestion during peak hours. 25. Dishonest students will be immediately dealt with.
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