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Araştırma Görevlisi
The verb be can be an auxiliary verb (Marie is learning English) or a main verb (Marie is French). On this page we look at the verb be as a main verb.
Usually we use simple tenses with the verb be as a main verb.
For example, we say:
* London is the capital of the UK.
(not London is being the capital of the UK.)
* Is she beautiful?
(not Is she being beautiful?)
* Were you late?
(not Were you being late?)
Sometimes, however, we can use the verb be with a continuous tense. This is when the real sense of the verb be is "act" or "behave". Also, of course, the action is temporary.
Compare the examples in the table below:
Notice that we also make a difference between "to be sick" and "to be being sick":
* She is sick (= she is not well)
* She is being sick (= she is vomiting)
NOTE:
# Verbs not Used with Continuous Tenses
# Verbs with Two Meanings
Usually we use simple tenses with the verb be as a main verb.
For example, we say:
* London is the capital of the UK.
(not London is being the capital of the UK.)
* Is she beautiful?
(not Is she being beautiful?)
* Were you late?
(not Were you being late?)
Sometimes, however, we can use the verb be with a continuous tense. This is when the real sense of the verb be is "act" or "behave". Also, of course, the action is temporary.
Compare the examples in the table below:
Notice that we also make a difference between "to be sick" and "to be being sick":
* She is sick (= she is not well)
* She is being sick (= she is vomiting)
NOTE:
# Verbs not Used with Continuous Tenses
# Verbs with Two Meanings
Son düzenleme: