(1) (与there连用)存在，有，发生 (exist; occur; live) [I] (后接a/an/no/some...+名词)：There once was a poor woodcutter.从前有一个可怜的伐木工。There is a lady here asking for you.有位女士找你。There had been two or three sea fights.曾发生过两三次海战。For there to～life there must～air and water.有生命就得有空气和水。〖同〗exist，occur;

(2) (与表示时间或位置的副词或介词短语连用) 1) 位于，在 (occupy a position) [I]：He is upstairs/out/in/in the garden/at the gate.他在楼上/出去了/在家/在花园里/在大门口。2) 发生 (happen; take place; occur) [I]：The concert/meeting is (was/will be) after work.音乐会/会议在(曾在/将在)下班后举行。The party/wedding is (was/will be) in the hall.聚会/婚礼在(曾在/将在)礼堂里举行。〖同〗happen，occur，take place; 3) 出席 (attend; be present) [I]：He was (is/will be) at church/the party/the meeting.他曾(在/将去)做礼拜/参加聚会/出席会议。〖同〗attend; 4) 逗留(remain) [I]：She is (has been) here till Christmas/in the city for two years.她在这儿待到圣诞节/在市里待了两年。〖同〗remain; 5) 曾去过 (visit; go or come) [I][仅用perf]：He has (never) been abroad/to the city. 他(未)曾去过国外/那个城市。

(3) 是，成为 (used as a copula to describe or identify the subject) [L+n， L+adj， L+adv， L+prep， L+that， L+wh， L+to-inf， L+wh-inf， L+-ing]：She is a great beauty/a doctor/the one/twenty years old.她是个大美人/大夫/那个人/20岁。She is beautiful/ready/well.她漂亮/准备好了/健康。The work is over.工作结束了。The fire is out.火灭了。It is of average height/in a muddle/for cutting sth with.它的高度一般/事情一塌糊涂/这是切东西用的。The order is that you (should) start/for you to start at once.命令是：你们马上动身。The question is what we should do/what to do. 问题是我们怎么办/怎么办。The trouble is not knowing where to stay. 问题在于不知道要呆在哪里。

(4) (价值、数量、意义等)是，等于 (used to show equivalence in value， number， etc)[L+n]：The book is ￡15. 那本书是15英镑。Five threes are fifteen. 3乘5等于15。It is nothing to me.这对于我无所谓。London is not England.伦敦并不等于英国。Let x～20.假设x为20。A is excellent. A为优秀。

(5) (用作aux v) 1) (与ed分词构成被动式)：The house is (is being/has been) built. 房子已经(正在/已经)盖(完了)。I hate to be delayed/being delayed.我不喜欢被耽搁。The house now being built will be for rent.正在盖的那座房子将出租。2) (与ing分词构成进行体)：It is (was/has been) raining.现在(当时/一直)在下雨。They are being silly. 他们在犯傻。I'm going to London next week. 我下周要去伦敦。It's nice to be sitting here with you.和你一起坐在这里真是太好了。

(6)(用作aux v，后接带to不定式) 1) 应该，得(expressing duty， necessity， etc)：Where am I to write my name? 我该把名字写在哪儿? They are more to be pitied than blamed. 他们应该得到同情，而不是谴责。2) 打算，将 (expressing the future)：We are to be married in June.我们订于6月结婚。She is to appear before him.她将先于他出场。3) 可能 (expressing possibility)：Not a sound/a soul was to be heard (seen).一点声音/一个人影也听(看)不见。It's nowhere to be seen.这哪儿也见不着。 4) 注定 (expressing destiny)：He is never to see his son again.他再也见不着他儿子了。The worst is still to come.最糟糕的还在后头呢。He didn't know that he was to be famous later on.他当时不知道他日后要出名。5) 要是，假若 (expressing supposition)(仅用were)：If I were/Were I to tell you that， you would not believe it.我要是告诉你，你会不相信的。

(7) 用来(于) (expressing purpose)：This money is to help you get something to eat.这些钱是用来帮你弄点吃的。

→ ′being n 存在;人(如：human being)