There be
There be is an English verb form, which combines existential there with the verb be as existential be.
Form
The construction is unusual in English[1] because the primary verbs (be or have) show object agreement rather than the usual subject agreement. For example, we say "there is a pen" (singular object), and "there are four pens" (plural object). Additionally, the verb must agree with the first direct object, ignoring any conjunctions; so we use the singular forms to cover a plurality of objects if the first object is singular. For example, we say "there is a house and a garden" rather than *"there are a house and a garden." There is some logic to the latter form even though it is erroneous, and students may attempt it.
The basic forms are in the following table:
| Form | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| To-infinitive (simple) | there to be | |
| To-infinitive (perfect) | there to have been | |
| Bare infinitive (simple) | there be | |
| Gerund | there being | |
| Present simple | there is | there are |
| Present perfect | there has been | there have been |
| Past simple | there was | there were |
| Past perfect | there had been | |
Note that while the perfect aspect can apply, the progressive aspect can't be applied; we don't say *"there are being".
In addition, "there be" can take modal verbs, both full modal verbs and semi-modal verbs:
| Verb | Simple | Perfect |
|---|---|---|
| can | there can be | ?there can have been |
| could | there could be | there could have been |
| will | there will be | there will have been |
| would | there would be | there would have been |
| May | there may be | there may have been |
| might | there might be | there might have been |
| shall | there shall be | there shall have been |
| should | there should be | there should have been |
| must | there must be | there must have been |
| ought to | there ought to be | there ought to have been |
| need to | there needs to be | there needs to have been |
| have to | there have to be | there have/has to have been |
| used to | there used to be | - |
Pronunciation
Note a linking /r/ is often desirable in "there are", especially to distinguish it from "they are", which has a linking /j/.
Anticipate difficulties
Chinese students will often try to say "there has", or "there have", or just "have" (without a subject). This is because in similar situations in Chinese, they use 有 (Pinyin: yòu). This frequently develops into a fossilised error.
- ↑ perhaps unique?
