be

Everyday

1. To be means to exist, to be there: There is a cat in the garden. tree →
2. To be tells what someone or something is like: She is tall. The soup is hot. tree →
3. To be tells where something is: The keys are on the table. tree →
4. To be tells someone's age or job: Ben is 7. Mum is a doctor. tree →
5. Be also helps other verbs: I am running; the cake was eaten. tree →
6. In maths «is» often means «equals»: 3 + 4 is 7. tree →
7. (casual) In chatty speech forms of be are dropped or bent: «you coming?», «we was late», «them sweets is 2 dollar», «ain't» for «isn't» or «am not»; (US casual) «I'm like» and «she was all» mean «I said» and «she said». tree →
8. (formal) The exam voice uses be in stiff passive and «shall be» forms: «It is given that …», «A total of 12 apples is distributed …», «Answers shall be expressed in whole numbers». tree →

In the lessons

saying what is on the table or in a group, now or before («There were 9 apples», «How many are there now?»); in maths «is» often means equals: 3 + 4 is 7; in everyday life «be careful», «be quiet», «be kind», «there is / there are», «be back soon»; in science «Water is a liquid»; in casual talk dropped or bent forms («you okay?», «we was», «ain't»); in rough talk «be quiet» becomes «shut up»; in the exam voice the passive «is distributed», «is given», «shall be»

Examples

• How many apples are on the table? tree →
• There were 9 apples. Tom ate 1 of them. tree →
• There are 5 rows with 4 chairs in each row. tree →
• Ben is 7 and Kate is 10. tree →
• Three plus four is seven. tree →
• Be careful near the pool. tree →
• I am hungry; are you? tree →
• The children were very happy at the zoo. tree →
• Ice is frozen water. tree →
• you coming or what? bus is here tree →
• them sweets is 2 dollar each, we ain't got enough tree →
• It is given that a quantity of 9 apples was present upon the table, of which 1 was subsequently consumed. tree →
• "Why are you knocking me about?" tree →

Note

«There were N» gives the starting amount; «there are N … and N …» lists parts. The verb itself is no clue; the tense shows start (was, were) versus now (is, are). Trap: «is 3 more than» is a comparison that still needs reading. Forms: I am, you are, he/she/it is, we/they are; past: I/he was, you/we/they were. Say «there are 5 apples», not «there is 5 apples»; «we was» and «ain't» are heard in casual talk but are not standard English. «It is given that» in an exam just introduces the facts. In a passive sentence («was eaten by Tom») the doer comes after «by».

In Jewish tradition

In the old translation it also stands for the old forms like "shall be" and "are", which tell what will happen or what is true.

Interpretation. The words "These are the generations" begin a new section of the Torah's story. Tradition reads "shall be" as a command and a promise from God.

Examples

• These are the generations of Noah. (Torah GEN.6.9, JPS 1917) tree →
• These are the generations of Shem. (Torah GEN.11.10, JPS 1917) tree →
• These are the sons of Adah. (Torah GEN.36.16, JPS 1917) tree →
• So his strength was not known. (Prophets JDG.16.9, JPS 1917) tree →
• And the days were not expired; (Prophets 1SA.18.26, JPS 1917) tree →
• And I answered: Here am I. (Prophets 2SA.1.7, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

«There were N» gives the starting amount; «there are N … and N …» lists parts. The verb itself is no clue; the tense shows start (was, were) versus now (is, are). Trap: «is 3 more than» is a comparison that still needs reading. Forms: I am, you are, he/she/it is, we/they are; past: I/he was, you/we/they were. Say «there are 5 apples», not «there is 5 apples»; «we was» and «ain't» are heard in casual talk but are not standard English. «It is given that» in an exam just introduces the facts. In a passive sentence («was eaten by Tom») the doer comes after «by».