How English is different
from BLC Language Assistants
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The BE verb: Does it exist in other languages? Is it used in regular speech?
The BE verb: Does it exist in other languages? Is it used in regular speech?
In Russian, in Russian we never use BE verb for present tense. We use it to show that something happens in the past (I was at work) or in the future (I will be at work).
By the way, one of the biggest problem in the English language for any Slavic speaker are articles - we just don't have them in Russian, Ukranian, Belarusian, etc. :)
In Arabic, the verb "to be" is not typically used, even in Standard Arabic. As a result, Arabic speakers may tend to avoid using it when speaking English; it's not a natural part of their sentence structure in Arabic, where it's seen as an optional addition rather than a necessary element.
In French, you must always include the conjugated verb (to be). Omitting it creates an incomplete sentence. But I know in Arabic Language (like mentioned above), we naturally leave out "am/is/are" in the present tense. But French strictly requires it.
In Vietnam, we never use BE, especially if it is not the main verb of a sentence. So with the continuous present/past tense, they never use BE in front of the main verb (V+ing). I believe with Vietnamese students, BE is always a major problem.
In Korean, we have BE verbs, but we also have other verbs and expressions to describe states, conditions, identities, and other things that BE verbs usually cover in English. So we don’t have to use them in every sentence the way we do in English. We sometimes use them, but they’re not always necessary. I think whether we use them depends on the sentence. I think that’s one of the big differences Korean students might notice when learning English.
Chinese learners can have a problem with “BE” because their language uses a verb in some types of sentences but not others.
For nouns, such as “I am a teacher,” Cantonese uses a BE verb. For locations, such as “I am at work,” Cantonese also uses a verb.
However, with adjectives such as “tired” or “happy,” Cantonese does not need a BE verb. “I tired” is already a complete sentence.
So when Cantonese-speaking students leave out am/is/are, they may be transferring a pattern from their first language.
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