Using the “Be” verb in TOEFL Grammar improves your language-use during the speaking and writing tasks. The better control you have over your language use, the higher your TOEFL. Any questions?
Table of Contents
“Be” as Main Verb
“Be”can function as a main verb. Following the “be” verb is a complement. The complement can be either an adjective or a noun.
- Complement as an adjective: Susan is intelligent.
- Complement as a noun: Susan is a teacher.
However, the “be” verb cannot be followed by an adverb.
- *Susan is intelligently.”
- Susan speaks intelligently.
As you can see in the above example, adverbs occur after regular verbs i.e., “speak”, not “be” verbs.
“Be” as an Auxiliary Verb
“Be” is used an an auxiliary verb. In this case, it will be the first verb in the verb string.
- Aux “be” in passive voice: The chair was broken when a fat student sat down.
- Aux “be” in one of the continuous verb tenses: The students were preparing for their upcoming TOEFL exam.
“Be” Verb in TOEFL Grammar: Common Errors
Be aware that several errors with the “be” verb may bring down your TOEFL speaking or writing score.
Omission of copula “be” verb in a sentence
- *I at the party last week with some of my friends.*
- Edited: I was at the party last week with some of my friends.
Omission of aux “be” verb with a continuous verb tense.
- *The student preparing for the speaking and writing sections of the TOEFL exam.*
- Edited: The student was preparing for the speaking and writing sections of the TOEFL exam.
Subject-verb agreement error
- *The workers was present at the meeting.*
- Edited: The workers were present at the meeting.
“Be” Verb in TOEFL Grammar Quiz
Identify each sentence as being correct or incorrect. Pay attention to the verbs.
1.The student very tired after completing several hours of TOEFL preparation study.
A. Correct
B. Incorrect
2. Polpot seems happy about his decision to postpone his TOEFL exam.
A. Correct
B. Incorrect
3. Neither Tomas nor the other students is participating in the concert.
A. Correct
B. Incorrect
4. The employee hired by the company given a $10,000 bonus.
A. Correct
B. Incorrect
5. John absent from class three days in a row because he got afflicted with Covid19.
A. Correct
B. Incorrect
6.The woman swimming in the ocean is completing her lifeguard requirements.
A. Correct
B. Incorrect
7. Worn from many years of wear, his ripped jeans still his favorite clothes.
A. Correct
B. Incorrect
8. The children were trying to finish their homework assignments when they heard a loud thud on the roof.
A. Correct
B. Incorrect
9. The class lecture organized around two types of cell division.
A. Correct
B. Incorrect
10. No one responded when the professor asked the students who had thrown the spitball onto the white board.
A. Correct
B. Incorrect
Michael Buckhoff, mbuckhoff@aol.com