Difference between revisions of "Be"
From Creolista!
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*<span style="color:darkblue;font-variant:small-caps;">Subject '''is''' Particle:</span> ''The sun is up. The network was down. The doctor may be in.'' | *<span style="color:darkblue;font-variant:small-caps;">Subject '''is''' Particle:</span> ''The sun is up. The network was down. The doctor may be in.'' | ||
− | *introduces present & past participles | + | *introduces present & past <span style="color:darkgreen;font-weight:bold;font-variant:small-caps;">participles</span> |
:*present participle (<span style="color:darkblue;font-variant:small-caps;">-ing</span>) | :*present participle (<span style="color:darkblue;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. | ||
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:::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:darkblue;font-variant:small-caps;">be + -ing</span> derives historically from <span style="color: | + | :::<span style="color:darkblue;font-variant:small-caps;">be + -ing</span> derives historically from <span style="color:darkblue;font-variant:small-caps;">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>) |
Revision as of 12:34, 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 Particle: The sun is up. The network was down. The doctor may be in.
- 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. Together with be, it forms the passive voice.
- Lincoln and Kennedy were both assassinated.
- Everything was frozen.
- It was golden. (cf. adjectives like wooden, rotten)
- The mediopassive can be formed with get.
- My parents got
(already)married in 1968. - My parents were (already) married in 1980..
- My parents are (still) married in 2019.
- My parents got
- The mediopassive can be formed with get.
- introduces various modal structures with (to)
- be unable to {verb} -- être capable de, pouvoir
- be about to {verb} -- être sur le point de
- be easy to {verb} -- être facile (de / à)
- be difficult to {verb} -- être difficile (de / à)
- be unlikely to {verb} -- être probable que
- be supposed to {verb} -- être censé
- be unwilling to {verb} -- vouloir bien