Uses of verb to be [As main verb and Helping/auxiliary verb]

Forms of verb "To be"

Present (V1)	Past (V2)	Past Participle (V3)	Present Participle
am, is, are / be	Was, were	been	being

The verb "to be" is one of the most versatile verbs in the English language, functioning both as a main verb and a helping (auxiliary) verb. Here’s a breakdown of its uses in both contexts:

1. "To be" as a main verb

We use "to be" as main verb to show existence/state, quality, relation, profession,etc.

For example:

1. I want to be a teacher. (infinitive)
2. I am at home.
3. He is my friend.
4. She is happy.
5. Books are good friends.

1. Present form - am / is / are (As a main verb)

Positive	Negative	Yes/No Type Questions	Wh-Type Questions
I am at home.	I am not at home.	Am I at home?	Where am I?
You are my friend.	You are not my friend.	Are you my friend?	Whose friend are you?
He is in the school.	He is not in the school.	Is he in the school?	Where is he?
She is in the kitchen.	She is not in the kitchen.	Is she in the kitchen?	Where is she?
It is a bird.	It is not a bird.	Is it a bird?	What is it?
We are in the class.	We are not in the class.	Are we in the class?	Where are we?
They are happy.	They are not happy.	Are they happy?	Why are they happy?
John is a Doctor.	John is not a Doctor.	Is John a Doctor?	What is John?
Books are on the table.	Books are not on the table.	Are books on the table?	Where are the books?

2. Past form - was / were (As a main verb)

Positive	Negative	Yes/No Type Questions	Wh-Type Questions
I was at home.	I was not at home.	Was I at home?	Where was I?
You were my friend.	You were not my friend.	Were you my friend?	Whose friend were you?
He was in the school.	He was not in the school.	Was he in the school?	Where was he?
She was in the kitchen.	She was not in the kitchen.	Was she in the kitchen?	Where was she?
It was a bird.	It was not a bird.	Was it a bird?	What was it?
We were in the class.	We were not in the class.	Were we in the class?	Where were we?
They were happy.	They were not happy.	Were they happy?	Why were they happy?
John was a Doctor.	John was not a Doctor.	Was John a Doctor?	What was John?
Books were on the table.	Books were not on the table.	Were books on the table?	Where were the books?

3. Future form - will be (As a main verb)

Positive	Negative	Yes/No type questions	Wh type questions
I will be at home.	I will not be at home.	Will I be at home?	Where will I be?
You will be my friend.	You will not be my friend.	Will you be my friend?	Whose friend will you be?
He will be in the school.	He will not be in the school.	Will he be in the school?	Where will he be?
She will be in the kitchen.	She will not be in the kitchen.	Will she be in the kitchen?	Where will she be?
It will be there.	It will not be there.	Will it be there?	Where will it be?
We will be in the class.	We will not be in the class.	Will we be in the class?	Where will we be?
They will be happy.	They will not be happy.	Will they be happy?	Why will they be happy?
John will be a Doctor.	John will not be a Doctor.	Will John be a Doctor?	What will John be?
Books will be on the table.	Books will not be on the table.	Will books be on the table?	Where will books be?

4. Past participle - been (As a main verb)

• "Been" is never used as a main verb by itself.
• It is always paired with an auxiliary verb (have/has/had/will have) to form perfect tenses.

Present Perfect Tense:

Positive	Negative	Yes/No Question	Wh Question
I have been to Paris.	I have not been to Paris.	Have I been to Paris?	Where have I been?
You have been excited.	You have not been excited.	Have you been excited?	How have you been?
He has been tired.	He has not been tired.	Has he been tired?	Why has he been tired?
She has been in the kitchen.	She has not been in the kitchen.	Has she been in the kitchen?	Where has she been?
It has been a long day.	It has not been a long day.	Has it been a long day?	How has it been?
We have been friends.	We have not been friends.	Have we been friends?	What have we been?
They have been supportive.	They have not been supportive.	Have they been supportive?	How have they been?
John has been a great leader.	John has not been a great leader.	Has John been a great leader?	Why has John been a great leader?
Books have been in the library.	Books have not been in the library.	Have books been in the library?	Where have the books been?

5. Present participle - being (As a main verb)

• We use "being" as a main verb in Present Continuous & Past Continuous Tenses.

Present Continuous: 

Positive	Negative	Yes/No Question	Wh Question
I am being patient.	I am not being patient.	Am I being patient?	How am I being?
You are being supportive.	You are not being supportive.	Are you being supportive?	What are you being?
He is being silly.	He is not being silly.	Is he being silly?	Why is he being silly?
She is being kind.	She is not being kind.	Is she being kind?	What is she being?
It is being difficult.	It is not being difficult.	Is it being difficult?	How is it being?
We are being careful.	We are not being careful.	Are we being careful?	Why are we being careful?
They are being friendly.	They are not being friendly.	Are they being friendly?	How are they being?
John is being responsible.	John is not being responsible.	Is John being responsible?	What is John being?
Books are always being informative.	Books are not always being non-informative.	Are books always being informative?	How are the books always being?

2. "To be" as a helping (auxiliary) verb

When "to be" acts as a helping verb, it combines with other verbs to form different tenses.

1. Present form - am, is, are (As a helping/auxiliary verb)

• We use it in "Present Continuous Tense".

Positive	Negative	Yes/No Question	Wh Question
I am going to the store.	I am not going to the store.	Am I going to the store?	Where am I going?
You are studying English.	You are not studying English.	Are you studying English?	What are you studying?
He is playing soccer.	He is not playing soccer.	Is he playing soccer?	Why is he playing soccer?
She is reading a book.	She is not reading a book.	Is she reading a book?	What is she reading?
It is raining outside.	It is not raining outside.	Is it raining outside?	How is it raining?
We are planning a trip.	We are not planning a trip.	Are we planning a trip?	When are we planning the trip?
They are watching a movie.	They are not watching a movie.	Are they watching a movie?	What are they watching?
John is completing his homework.	John is not completing his homework.	Is John completing his homework?	Why is John completing his homework?
Books are being organized.	Books are not being organized.	Are books being organized?	What are the books being?

2. Past form - was, were (As a helping/auxiliary verb)

• We use it in "Past Continuous Tense".

Positive	Negative	Yes/No Question	Wh Question
I was reading.	I was not reading.	Was I readiing	What was I reading?
You were playing.	You were not playing.	Were you playing?	What were you doing?
He was studying.	He was not studying.	Was he studying?	What was he studying?
She was cooking.	She was not cooking.	Was she cooking?	What was she cooking?
It was raining.	It was not raining.	Was it raining?	Why was it raining?
We were laughing.	We were not laughing.	Were we laughing?	What were we laughing at?
They were singing.	They were not singing.	Were they singing?	What were they singing?

3. Future form - will be (As a helping/auxiliary verb)

• We use it in "Future Continuous Tense".

Positive	Negative	Yes/No Question	Wh Question
I will be running.	I will not be running.	Will I be running?	What will I be running for?
You will be studying.	You will not be studying.	Will you be studying?	What will you be studying?
He will be swimming.	He will not be swimming.	Will he be swimming?	Why will he be swimming?
She will be painting.	She will not be painting.	Will she be painting?	What will she be painting?
It will be snowing.	It will not be snowing.	Will it be snowing?	When will it be snowing?
We will be traveling.	We will not be traveling.	Will we be traveling?	Where will we be traveling?
They will be dancing.	They will not be dancing.	Will they be dancing?	When will they be dancing?

4. Past participle - been (As a helping/auxiliary verb)

• We use it in all three (Present, Past & Future) "Perfect Continuous Tenses".

Present Perfect Continuous:

Positive	Negative	Yes/No Question	Wh Question
I have been studying for hours.	I have not been studying for hours.	Have I been studying for hours?	How long have I been studying?
You have been working hard.	You have not been working hard.	Have you been working hard?	What have you been working on?
He has been playing football.	He has not been playing football.	Has he been playing football?	Where has he been playing?
She has been traveling.	She has not been traveling.	Has she been traveling?	Where has she been traveling?

Past Perfect Continuous:

Positive	Negative	Yes/No Question	Wh Question
I had been studying before the exam.	I had not been studying before the exam.	Had I been studying before the exam?	How long had I been studying?
You had been working all day.	You had not been working all day.	Had you been working all day?	What had you been working on?
He had been playing before dinner.	He had not been playing before dinner.	Had he been playing before dinner?	Where had he been playing?
She had been traveling for weeks.	She had not been traveling for weeks.	Had she been traveling for weeks?	Where had she been traveling?

Future Perfect Continuous:

Positive	Negative	Yes/No Question	Wh Question
I will have been studying for three hours.	I will not have been studying for three hours.	Will I have been studying for three hours?	How long will I have been studying?
You will have been working on the project.	You will not have been working on the project.	Will you have been working on the project?	What will you have been working on?
He will have been playing for an hour.	He will not have been playing for an hour.	Will he have been playing for an hour?	Where will he have been playing?
She will have been traveling by train.	She will not have been traveling by train.	Will she have been traveling by train?	Where will she have been traveling?

5. Present participle - being (As a helping/auxiliary verb)

• We use he verb "being" as a helping/auxiliary verb for passive constructions in the Present Continuous and Past Continuous tenses. 

Present Continuous (Passive):

Positive	Negative	Yes/No Question	Wh Question
The documents are being reviewed by the manager.	The documents are not being reviewed by the manager.	Are the documents being reviewed by the manager?	What are the documents being reviewed for?
The food is being prepared by the chef.	The food is not being prepared by the chef.	Is the food being prepared by the chef?	When is the food being prepared?

Past Continuous (Passive):

Positive	Negative	Yes/No Question	Wh Question
The project was being discussed in the meeting.	The project was not being discussed in the meeting.	Was the project being discussed in the meeting?	What was being discussed in the meeting?
The concert was being organized by the committee.	The concert was not being organized by the committee.	Was the concert being organized by the committee?	Who was being responsible for organizing the concert?

The verb "to be" serves as both a main verb that describes existence, identity, or state, and as a helping verb that supports other verbs in forming tenses and voices. Understanding its uses can greatly enhance your comprehension and fluency in English.

See also:

1. Uses of verb "to do"
2. Uses of verb "to have"
3. Helping or Auxiliary Verbs - Types, Uses & Examples

References

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