このページでは、不規則動詞beを伴う基本時制として、以下の構造を示します：
- 肯定的または肯定（+）
- 否定（-）
- 疑問文または質問（?)
基本構造は以下の通り：
| + | positive | |
| – | negative | subject + assistant + not + main verb be |
| ? | 疑問 | 助動詞+主語+主動詞be |
しかし、単純過去形と単純現在形の場合は、構造が同じではありません。 むしろ、もっと簡単です。 助動詞がないのである。 以下はその構造です：
| + | 正 | 主語+主動詞be |
| – | 負 | 主語+主動詞be + not |
| ? | 疑問 | 主動詞be + 主語 |
ここで、時制を構成するのに使う主動詞beの形は次の通りです。
| base | past simple | past participle | present participle -ing | present simple |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| be | was.となります。 were | been | being | am, are, is |
そして、その結果がこちらです。
| 12 tenses (be) | past | present | future | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SIMPLE present 単純または過去単純 未来以外 will + be |
+ | I was | I am | I will be |
| -… | I was not | I am not | I will not be | |
| ? | Was I? | Am I? | Will I be? | |
| CONTINUOUS be + being |
+ | I was being | I am being | I will be |
| -となります。 | 私はされていなかった | 私はされていない | 私はされないだろう | |
| ？ | 私はされていたのでしょうか？ | 私は存在するのか？ | 私は存在することになるのか？ | PERFECT have + been |
+ | I had been | I have been | I will have been |
| -となる。 | I had not been | I have not been | I will not have been | |
| ? | Have I been? | Have I have been? | ||
| CONTINUOUS PERFECT have been + being |
+ | I have been | I will have been | |
| -とあるように。 | I had not been | I have not been | I will not have been | |
| ? | Had I been being? | Have I been being? | ||
次の表では、12の基本時制について、すべての人称でbeが肯定的に活用されていることがわかります。
| SIMPLE | past | present | future | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| singular | I | was | am | will be |
| you | were | are | will be | |
| he/she/it | was | is | will be | |
| plural | we | were | are | will be |
| you | were | are | will be | |
| they | were | are | will be | |
| PERFECT | past | future | ||
| singular | I | have been | will have been | |
| you | have been | have been | willがある。 have been | |
| he/she/it | has been | will have been | ||
| plural | we | has been | have been | will have been |
| you | have been | will have been | ||
| they | have been | have been | will have been | |
| CONTINUOUS | past | present | future | |
| singular | I | was being | am being | will be |
| you | were being | are being | will be | |
| he/she/it | was being | is being | will be | |
| plural | we | were being | are。 存在 | 存在することになる |
| あなた | 我々は存在 | 存在することになる | ||
| 彼らは | 我々は存在 | are being | will be being | |
| CONTINUOUS PERFECT | past | present | future | |
| singular | I | されていた | されている | される |
| あなた | されている | されている。 being | will have been | |
| he/she/it | had been being | has been being | will have been | we | had been being | have been |
| you | had been | されているであろう | ||
| 彼ら | されていた | されているであろう | ||
されているであろう