There be 结构是英语中陈述事物客观存的常用句型，表示“有”，其确切含义是“存在”there 作为引导词，本身没有意义，用动词be的某些形式作为谓语动词，它的主语是用一些表示泛指或不定特指的名词词组，动词be和 主语的数必须一致。句子最后通常为表示地点和时间的状语。因此要表达“某个地方或某个时间存在什么事物或人”的时候常用“There be + 名词+ 地点(时间)这一句型。例如：
There is a great Italian deli across the street.
穿过街道，有一家大的意大利熟食店。
There are some students in the dormitory.
在宿舍里有一些学生。
一、“There be”后面可以跟名词或动名词
在“There be +主语+状语"的句型中, 作主语的名词一般是非限定的,常是泛指而不是特指, 故一般不用this, that, these, those 等词修饰, 修饰主语的一般应该是不定冠词、零冠词、基数词或a, an, some, any, no, several, many, much, a few, a little, another, a lot of, enough等非特指的词汇。请看下面例句:
There is a shop at the corner.
在拐角处有家商店。
There are two books on the desk.
课桌上有两本书。
There are many sheep bleating in the field.
田里有许多绵羊在叫。
二、我们也可以根据表达的需要, 在There与be之间用上恰当的情态动词can, may, must, should, will等，构成: There will /may/must/can, etc. be...:
There will be an interesting talk on English next week.
下个星期有个关于英语方面的有趣报告。
My watch doesn’t work, there may be something wrong with it.
我的手表不走了，可能出了故障。
三、“There be” 句型还有扩展形式
在There be 句型中, 除be之外, 某些表示存在概念的不及物动词也可以用于这种句型, 这些动词大致是: live, come, stand, lie等。请看：
Once there lived an old fisherman near the sea.
海边曾经住着一位老渔夫。
There stands a big tall apple tree in front of my house.
我家屋前有一棵高大的苹果树。
Then there came a knock at the door.
那时传来了敲门声。
四、使用“There be”句型时要注意主谓一致
在There be引导的句子中, 谓语动词be的人称和数应该和它后面的主语(名词)保持一致, 当有两个或两个以上的名词作并列主语时, be的形式则和第一个名词保持一致(就近原则)。如:
There is a small river near the village.
村子附近有条小河。
There are two thousand students in our school.
我们学校有2000名学生。
There is a pen and two books on the desk.
课桌上有一枝钢笔。
五、There be句型与have的区别:
二者都表示汉语中的“有”。但是在用法上有区别: There be 句型表示“某处(某时)有某物”; 而have则表示“某人或某物拥有某物”, 强调主语和宾语的所属关系。如:
There are quite a few pine trees on the campus.
校园里有许多松树。
Each supergirl has her merits and faults.
每个超级女生都有他的优点和缺点。
We have ten copies, but we shall need more.
我们有10册,但是我们还需要更多。
六、There be 句型的转换
一般地说, There be 句型的基本转换还是比较容易掌握的, 关键要注意句型中名词的转换形式, 请看下面的例句:
Are there any boats on the lake? (一般疑问句)
There are not any students in the classroom. (否定句)
——What's in the bag? (对主语提问的特殊疑问句)
——There are many oranges in it.
七、There be 句型的时态:
There be 句型没有语态形式, 但是却有比较复杂的时态形式, 以及可以表达不同的情态语境,请看下面的例句:
There will be a class meeting this afternoon. (一般将来时)
今天下午有班会。
There was a football match in our school yesterday. (一般过去时)
昨天我们学校有一场足球赛。
There have been great changes in China in the past twenty years. (现在完成时)
在过去20年里中国发生了巨大变化。
There are going to be two English parties next week. (一般将来时)
下周有两场英语晚会。
There must be something wrong with the computer. ( must + be)
这台计算机一定出问题了。
八、即时练习
用括号中所给词的适当形式填空。
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?
