The use of Verb to be

Level : Beginner


The verb to be is used in a number of different ways in English. Here are the main uses of the verb to be for reference, self-study and in-class use.

To be - Main Verb - Role

To be is used as a main verb to indicate the role or position that one has at work, family, or other organization.

Examples:

Jennifer is my sister.
Frank is a doctor.
Alan was a guest at our house last week.

To be - Main Verb with Adjective

To be is also used as a main verb together with adjectives to express qualities about someone. It's possible to use only adjectives with Be, or adjectives which modify other nouns.

Examples:

She is a beautiful woman.
Jack was a handsome man.
She is interesting.
They are ugly.

To be - Main Verb - Location

To be is used as a main verb to indicate location.

Examples:

They are at lunch.
Our house is in the countryside.
Alice is in the backyard.