INGLÉS INSTRUMENTAL

ESPECIALIZACIÓN EN DERECHO AGRARIO Y AMBIENTAL

Verbo Be
Frases nominales
Verbos modales

Prof. Dr. Félix Vargas Arteaga

Reconocer la importancia de los tiempos verbales
simples y perfectos, el verbo BE (To Be), frases
nominales y los modales o defectivos para la
comprensión en textos escritos en inglés.
 READING SELECTION
Planning acts constitute a very important instrument for
conducting environmental protection policy in Poland. Despite the
relative freedom of public authorities in shaping their provisions,
these acts are adopted on the basis of explicit authorisations
contained – in principle – in universally binding law, primarily in
statutes. The aim of the article is to draw attention to the fact that
a quite detailed normative framework for adopting environmental
planning acts is also present at the level of the Constitution of the
Republic of Poland. Determining its scope, however, requires
defining the legal nature of the indicated acts, which is an issue
that raises certain problems. They are visible especially in the
context of the administrative law doctrine.
 How do you use the verb 'be' in English?

The verb be is used as an auxiliary verb and it can also

be used as a main verb. The verb be is irregular. It has
eight different forms:
be, am, is, are, was, were, being, been.

The present simple and past simple tenses make more

changes than those of other verbs.
Taken from:

https://grammar.collinsdictionary.com/easy-learning/how-
do-you-use-the-verb-be-in-english
 I was late. We were late.
You were late. You were late.
She was late. They were late.

The present participle is being.

He is being very helpful these days.

The past participle is been.

We have been ready for an hour.
•The present simple tense forms of be are often contracted in normal speech. Note
that the contracted form of they are is spelled they’re, and not their which is the
possessive form of they.
 I’m here. We’re here.
You’re here. You’re here.
He’s here. They’re here.

Any form of be is made negative by adding not immediately after it. In speech,
some forms of be also have contracted negative forms. Some of these forms
emphasize the negative.

emphasizes the negative

I’m not late.
You aren’t late. You’re not late.
He isn’t late. He’s not late.
We aren’t late. We’re not late.
They aren’t late. They’re not late.
I wasn’t late.
You weren’t late.
He wasn’t late.
We weren’t late.
They weren’t late.

•The major uses of be as an auxiliary verb are to form continuous tenses and the
passive. Continuous tenses of main verbs use the appropriate form of be, present or
past, followed by the present participle (or -ing form).
•The passive form of a main verb uses the appropriate form of be followed by the past
participle.
•The verb be is also used as a main verb. It is commonly found joining a
subject to its complement. As a main verb, be is used to talk about:

•Feelings and states. For this we use the simple tenses of the verb with a
suitable adjective.

I am delighted with the news but he is not happy. She was busy so
she was not able to see me.
•People’s behaviour. For this we use the continuous tenses of the verb with
a suitable adjective.

I am not being slow, I am being careful.

You were being very rude to your mum when I came downstairs.

•Be + the to infinitive is sometimes used to refer to future time. This is a

rather formal use, which often appears in news reports.

The Prime Minister is to visit Hungary in October.

The Archbishop is to have talks with the Pope next month.

•It + be: we use it as a subject when we are talking about time, distance,
weather, or cost. In this use, be is always singular.

Hurry up, it’s eight thirty! Is it? I didn’t know it was so late.
It’s thirty miles to Glasgow. Come and visit us. It’s not very far.
It’s cold today but it isn’t wet.
It’s very expensive to live in London.
•There + is/are is used to talk about something existing. In this use, the form
that be takes may be singular or plural, depending on the number of the noun,
and be is sometimes contracted.

There’s a spare toothbrush in the cupboard.

There was a cold wind blowing.
There isn’t enough petrol for the journey. There are several petrol stations on
the way, aren’t there?

To make the continuous tenses of the main verb be we have to use be twice,
once as an auxiliary and once as a main verb. You are being so annoying! I
know I am being silly, but I am frightened.

The question form of clauses with the verb be in them is made by putting the
appropriate form of be right in front of the subject.

Are you better now? Is he free this morning? Was he cooking dinner when you
arrived?
¿Cómo es utilizado?

El verbo Be indica existencia, condición temporal o estado

permanente.

It’s really hot today.

Grady’s not here right now.
Karen and Tim are engineers.
Pauk was sick yesterday.
Hawaii is in the Pacific Ocean.

La forma base es Be, el participio pasado es been, y la forma –ing

es being.
I'll be back tomorrow.
He has been a doctor since 1998.
She is being nice today.

Taken from: Thomson and Martinet (1998) A Practical English Grammar

¿Cómo es utilizado?

The verb be is also used in progressive tenses, passives and prepositional

collocations:

Progressive tenses:
He is writing a letter to his brother.
Jeff was cleaning the house this morning.
The Holleys have been living there since April.
Passive voice:
The people were surprised by the news.
Craig was stopped by the policeman.
Prepositional collocations:
Tracy is fond of chocolates.
Cassie is not afraid of snakes.
I'm interested in making money
Otros usos:
Para expresar la edad:
How old are you?
I’m twenty years old/I’m twenty.
Tamaño y peso:
How tall are you? What’s your height? I’m
1,65 meters.
What is your weight? What do you
weight?/How much do
you weigh? I am 65 kilos or I weigh 65 kilos.
Precios:
How much is this melon? What does it cost?
Formas verbales de BE.

El verbo BE tiene diferentes formas en el presente y pasado.

Pronombre Presente Contracción Pasado
I Am ‘m Was
He Is ‘s Was
She Is ‘s Was
It Is ‘s Was
You Are ‘re Were
They Are ‘re Were
We are ‘re were
Presente simple.

Afirmativa Negativa Interrogativa

I am/I’m I am not/I’m not Am I?

You are/You’re You arenot/You’re not Are you?
He is/He’s He is not/He’s not Is he?
She is/She’s She is not/She’s not Is she?
It is/It’s It is not/It’s not Is it?
We are/We’re We are not/We’re not Are we?
They are/They’re They are not/They’re not Are they?
Formas afirmativa o positiva, negativa e
interrogativa.

Pasado simple.
Afirmativa Negativa Interrogativa
I was I was not/ wasn’t Was I?
You were You were not/weren’t Were you?
He was He was not/wasn’t Was he?
She was She was not/wasn`t Was she?
It was It was not/wasn’t Was it?
We were We were not/weren’t Were we?
They were They were not/weren’t Were they?
Contracciones alternativas.

Presente simple, otras contracciones

alternas:

He isn’t
You aren’t

Interrogativa Negativa
Am I not?/aren’t I?
Are you not?/Aren’t you?
Is he not?/isn’t he
Contracciones alternativas.

Interrogativas negativas

Was I not?/wasn’t I?
Were you not?/weren’t you
Was he not?/wasn`t he?
Y ¿qué pasó con Be en futuro simple?

Will be /Will not be/won’t be

Will I/you/he/she/it/we/they be?

The weather tomorrow will be warm and

humid.
He will not be here on time.
Will you be there next Friday?
 Noun phrases
Often a noun phrase is just a noun or a pronoun:
People like to have money.
I am tired.
Premodifiers

noun phrases can also include:

•determiners: Those houses are very expensive.

•quantifiers: I've lived in a lot of houses.
•numbers: My brother owns two houses.
•adjectives: I love old houses.

These parts of the noun phrase are called premodifiers because they go before
the noun.
Taken from:
https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/english-grammar-
reference/noun-phrases
 We use premodifiers in this order:
For example:

determiners adjectives +
> numbers >
and quantifiers NOUNS

Determiners and
Numbers Adjectives NOUNS
quantifiers
The six children
Our young children
six young children
These six young children
Some young children
All those six young children
Their many young children
Postmodifiers

Other parts of a noun phrase go after the noun.

These are called postmodifiers.
Postmodifiers can be:
•prepositional phrases:

a man with a gun

the boy in the blue shirt
the house on the corner

•–ing phrases :
the man standing over there
the boy talking to Angela

•relative clauses :
the man we met yesterday
the house that Jack built
the woman who discovered radium
an eight-year-old boy who attempted to rob a sweet shop
•that clauses. These are very common after nouns like idea, fact, belief, suggestion:

He's still very fit, in spite of the fact that he's over eighty.
She got the idea that people didn't like her.
There was a suggestion that the children should be sent home.

•to infinitives :

I've got no decent shoes to wear.

These are very common after indefinite pronouns and adverbs:

You should take something to read.

I need somewhere to sleep.

There may be more than one postmodifier:

an eight-year old boy with a gun who tried to rob a sweet shop.
that girl over there in a green dress drinking a Coke
 Modal verbs

The modal verbs are:

can could
may might
must
shall should
will would

Taken from:

https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/english-grammar-reference/modal-verbs
We use modals to show if we believe something is certain, possible or
impossible:

My keys must be in the car.

It might rain tomorrow.
That can't be Peter's coat. It's too small.

We also use them to do things like talk about ability, ask permission, and
make requests and offers:

I can't swim.
May I ask a question?
Could I have some tea, please?
Would you like some help?
Be The Straw That Broke The Camel's
Back.

TO BE OR NOT TO BE. THAT’S THE QUESTION