Definition be in British English

Be can have many different forms depending on its subject and on its tense:

present tense

I am

he/she/it is

we/you/they are

past tense

I/he/she/it was

we/you/they were

past participle

been

present participle

being

Be can be used in the following ways:

as an auxiliary verb in progressive verb tenses or in passive forms (followed by a present participle or a past participle): The train is leaving.A window was broken.

as a verb (followed by an infinitive with ‘to’): She is to marry Lord Stanhope.All books are to be returned by Friday.The party was to be a surprise.

as a linking verb (followed by an adjective or noun complement): Dad was ill.His wife is a doctor. (followed by an adverb or preposition): The children are in bed.

Questions and negatives that are formed without ‘do’: Are you busy?The book was not expensive.

Be is often used in question tags: You weren’t listening, were you?It’s cold, isn’t it?

The most famous speech in Shakespeare’s Hamlet begins with the words ‘To be or not to be…’, in which Hamlet considers the possibility of killing himself.

In conversation or informal writing am can be shortened to ’m, is can be shortened to ’s, and are can be shortened to ’re: I’m so glad you came.Kay’s still at the office.We’re leaving tomorrow.

These short forms can be followed by not to make negative sentences: I’m not surprised.She’s not very strong.You’re not helping.

Negative forms can also be shortened: am not can be shortened to aren’t (but only in questions), is not can be shortened to isn’t, are not can be shortened to aren’t, was not can be shortened to wasn’t, and were not can be shortened to weren’t: I’m next, aren’t I?Tom isn’t coming.They weren’t very nice.