Difference between revisions of "Be"
From Creolista!
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*introduces present & past participles | *introduces present & past participles | ||
− | :*present participle (<span style="color:darkgreen;font-variant:small-caps;">-ing</span> | + | :*present participle (<span style="color:darkgreen;font-variant:small-caps;">-ing</span>) |
− | :The present participle can be interpreted as a verb, a noun (usually called a gerund), or an adjective. | + | :::The present participle can be interpreted as a verb, a noun (usually called a gerund), or an adjective. |
− | ::*He was writing. (V) | + | :::*He was writing. (V) |
− | ::*This is (his) writing. (N) | + | :::*This is (his) writing. (N) |
− | ::*It is interesting. (Adj) | + | :::*It is interesting. (Adj) |
− | ::Only the first is considered ''verbal''. | + | :::Only the first is considered ''verbal''. |
− | ::The use of be + ing usually implies that the speaker is putting the listener in the middle of the action (''in medias res''): the speaker or writer is like a '''filmmaker''' recording an action. Alternately, it can indicate a series of occurrences. | + | :::The use of be + ing usually implies that the speaker is putting the listener in the middle of the action (''in medias res''): the speaker or writer is like a '''filmmaker''' recording an action. Alternately, it can indicate a series of occurrences. |
− | ::<span style="color:darkgreen;font-variant:small-caps;">be + -ing</span> derives historically from <span style="color:green;">be + on + <i>-ing</i></span> | + | :::<span style="color:darkgreen;font-variant:small-caps;">be + -ing</span> derives historically from <span style="color:green;">be + on + <i>-ing</i></span> |
:*past participle (<span style="color:darkblue;font-variant:small-caps;">-en / -ed</span>) | :*past participle (<span style="color:darkblue;font-variant:small-caps;">-en / -ed</span>) | ||
− | ::The past participle is more like a photograph than a movie. | + | :::The past participle is more like a photograph than a movie. |
− | ::*Lincoln and Kennedy were both assassinated. | + | :::*Lincoln and Kennedy were both assassinated. |
− | ::*Everything was frozen. | + | :::*Everything was frozen. |
− | ::*It was golden. (ADJ, (predicate adjective)) | + | :::*It was golden. (ADJ, (predicate adjective)) |
Revision as of 10:32, 23 December 2019
Avertissement: cette page est destiné à un analyse grammatical du mot "be" :P
Forms
- dictionary form (bare infinitive): be
- present tense: am (1s), is (3s), are (1p, 2s/p, 3p)
- past tense: was (1s, 3s), were (1p, 2s/p, 3p)
- present participle: being
- past participle: been
Major Uses
Most fundamentally be is a copula.
- Subject is NP: She is the boss.
- Subject is AdjP: The cat's paws are muddy.
- Subject is PP: Your keys are on the table.
- Subject is P: The sun is up. The network is down. The story is out.
- introduces present & past participles
- present participle (-ing)
- The present participle can be interpreted as a verb, a noun (usually called a gerund), or an adjective.
- He was writing. (V)
- This is (his) writing. (N)
- It is interesting. (Adj)
- Only the first is considered verbal.
- The use of be + ing usually implies that the speaker is putting the listener in the middle of the action (in medias res): the speaker or writer is like a filmmaker recording an action. Alternately, it can indicate a series of occurrences.
- be + -ing derives historically from be + on + -ing
- past participle (-en / -ed)
- The past participle is more like a photograph than a movie.
- Lincoln and Kennedy were both assassinated.
- Everything was frozen.
- It was golden. (ADJ, (predicate adjective))