There be 結構是英語中陳述事物客觀存的常用句型，表示“有”，其確切含義是“存在”there 作為引導詞，本身沒有意義，用動詞be的某些形式作為謂語動詞，它的主語是用一些表示泛指或不定特指的名詞詞組，動詞be和 主語的數必須一致。句子最後通常為表示地點和時間的狀語。因此要表達“某個地方或某個時間存在什麼事物或人”的時候常用“There be + 名詞+ 地點(時間)這一句型。例如：
There is a great Italian deli across the street.
穿過街道，有一家大的義大利熟食店。
There are some students in the dormitory.
在宿舍里有一些學生。
一、“There be”後面可以跟名詞或動名詞
在“There be +主語+狀語"的句型中, 作主語的名詞一般是非限定的,常是泛指而不是特指, 故一般不用this, that, these, those 等詞修飾, 修飾主語的一般應該是不定冠詞、零冠詞、基數詞或a, an, some, any, no, several, many, much, a few, a little, another, a lot of, enough等非特指的辭彙。請看下面例句:
There is a shop at the corner.
在拐角處有家商店。
There are two books on the desk.
課桌上有兩本書。
There are many sheep bleating in the field.
田裡有許多綿羊在叫。
二、我們也可以根據表達的需要, 在There與be之間用上恰當的情態動詞can, may, must, should, will等，構成: There will /may/must/can, etc. be...:
There will be an interesting talk on English next week.
下個星期有個關於英語方面的有趣報告。
My watch doesn’t work, there may be something wrong with it.
我的手錶不走了，可能出了故障。
三、“There be” 句型還有擴展形式
在There be 句型中, 除be之外, 某些表示存在概念的不及物動詞也可以用於這種句型, 這些動詞大致是: live, come, stand, lie等。請看：
Once there lived an old fisherman near the sea.
海邊曾經住著一位老漁夫。
There stands a big tall apple tree in front of my house.
我家屋前有一棵高大的蘋果樹。
Then there came a knock at the door.
那時傳來了敲門聲。
四、使用“There be”句型時要注意主謂一致
在There be引導的句子中, 謂語動詞be的人稱和數應該和它後面的主語(名詞)保持一致, 當有兩個或兩個以上的名詞作並列主語時, be的形式則和第一個名詞保持一致(就近原則)。如:
There is a small river near the village.
村子附近有條小河。
There are two thousand students in our school.
我們學校有20xx名學生。
There is a pen and two books on the desk.
課桌上有一枝鋼筆。
五、There be句型與have的區別:
二者都表示漢語中的“有”。但是在用法上有區別: There be 句型表示“某處(某時)有某物”; 而have則表示“某人或某物擁有某物”, 強調主語和賓語的所屬關係。如:
There are quite a few pine trees on the campus.
校園裡有許多松樹。
Each supergirl has her merits and faults.
每個超級女生都有他的優點和缺點。
We have ten copies, but we shall need more.
我們有10冊,但是我們還需要更多。
六、There be 句型的轉換
一般地說, There be 句型的基本轉換還是比較容易掌握的, 關鍵要注意句型中名詞的轉換形式, 請看下面的例句:
Are there any boats on the lake? (一般疑問句)
There are not any students in the classroom. (否定句)
——What's in the bag? (對主語提問的特殊疑問句)
——There are many oranges in it.
七、There be 句型的時態:
There be 句型沒有語態形式, 但是卻有比較複雜的時態形式, 以及可以表達不同的情態語境,請看下面的例句:
There will be a class meeting this afternoon. (一般將來時)
今天下午有班會。
There was a football match in our school yesterday. (一般過去時)
昨天我們學校有一場足球賽。
There have been great changes in China in the past twenty years. (現在完成時)
在過去20年裡中國發生了巨大變化。
There are going to be two English parties next week. (一般將來時)
下周有兩場英語晚會。
There must be something wrong with the computer. ( must + be)
這台計算機一定出問題了。
八、即時練習
用括弧中所給詞的適當形式填空。
1. There was a tractor _____ (work) and some cows _____ (eat) grass on the farm.
2. Look! There _______ (come) the No.7 bus.
3. There _______ (be) sheep and goats on the hill yesterday morning.
4. There must _______ (be) somebody in the corner because there was something _____ (move) quickly.
5. There _______ (be) a writer and singer in our school last week.
6. There _______ (be) a writer and two singers in our school last week.
7. _______ there _______ (be) an exciting concert in town tomorrow?
8. There ________ (be) a lot of changes in my hometown in the last two years.
9. Once there _______ (live) some hard-working people in the forest.
10. ______ there ________ (stand) a statue (塑像) by the sea?