heatedcanine's avatar
heatedcanine

Nov. 22, 2024

4
About "Be-Verb"

Native English speakers might not think that "be-verb (am, are, was, were, been, be)" is a verb.
Yet, Japanese people learn that English verbs arre roughly categorised into two verbs: "be-verb （be動詞）” and "other common verbs （一般動詞)" at their English grammar class.

The first person singular be-verb should be "am" or "was."
But there is one exception:
In "conditional type 2," I learned that you should use "were" instead of "was" fifty years ago: For example: "If I were a bird, I would fly to you now."
However, native Engilish speakers on LangCorrect tend to correct "were" to "was."
Therefore, I learn that English grammar rule could be changed as years go by.

This morning, I have another exception in the sentence, "I'm doing my degree in performing arts, aren't I?"
I think the last part should be "amn't I?" grammatically speaking.
"I" is the first person singular pronoun, which should accompanied by "am" in the simple present tense, not "are."
Yet, in this real world, native speakers use "aren't I?"

This type of questions is grammatically called 付加疑問文 (the tag questions) in Japanese.
"The be-verb in the tag question for "I am ~~~," is "aren't I" although I don't think tag questions for the first person singular seems to be very rare.
Because, someone doesn't ask to other person or people about themselves.
They know about themselves more than anybody else.
Therefore, "I'm ～～～, arn't I?" is used for a kind of rhetorical question. Not a simple question.
Yet, "tag questions" are used for something rhetorical from the beginning.

Anyway, it's very interesting to know!
I didn't know this grammar rule for over 50 years!

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Correct
Corrections
crazypergy's avatar
2

Native English speakers might not think that "to-be- verbs (am, are, was, were, been, be)" is aare verbs.

Since we're talking about all the to-be verbs, we would use the plural here.

Yet, Japanese people learn that English verbs arre roughly categoriszed into two verbs: "be-verb （be動詞）” and "other common verbs （一般動詞)" atin their English grammar class.

categorised -> categorized
This wasn't a mistake, but I wanted to address it. "Categorised" is the British spelling. "Categorized" is the American spelling. Just in case you ever get confused by that.
They can also be broken down into "regular" and "irregular."
Regular verbs
walk -> walked
Irregular
run -> ran
English is complicated.

But there is one exception:
In "conditional type 2," I learned that you should use "were" instead of "was" fifty years ago: For example: "If I were a bird, I would fly to you now."

Even fifty years ago, this wasn't always the case. I like to read old books, and even books from the 1960's and 1970's rendered the subjunctive mood ("If I were a bird...") as "was" ("If I was a bird...").
I think the reason is that in our minds, when you're talking about a wish like that, you're thinking about what your life would have been like (past tense).
That's just a theory though.

However, native Engilish speakers on LangCorrect tend to correct "were" to "was."

My advice: Talk like a native. Write like a professional.
When you're having a conversation, don't worry about correct grammar. Focus on communication. Even native English speakers don't speak correct English 100% of the time. But, when you're writing, then you can focus on correct grammar, correct vocabulary, etc.

Therefore, I learn that English grammar rule could be changed as years go by.

The internet has sped this up considerably. I'm 40 years old and have lived in Japan for 14 years and I don't understand some American English.

Feedback

I would say that "aren't I?" is almost never used except to express exasperation.
For example.
Wife: Aren't you going to take out the trash?
Me, with a trash bag in my hand: I AM taking out the trash, aren't?
I'm expressing exasperation that she asked me to do something that I am clearly doing right now.
As to the origin of "aren't I?" I did a little research and found that it's not actually a contraction of "are not I?" It's actually a contraction of "am not I?"
"am not" was originally contracted as "amn't" in British English. Over time, the 'm' was dropped (Charles Dickens used 'an't' in his books) and the 'a' sound lengthened by adding the 'r,' since in British English "ar" would be pronounced something like "ah" in Cockney English (e.g., "pepper" -> "peppah"). Thus, 'am not' -> 'amn't' -> 'an't' -> 'arn't')
English is weird.

betaterra's avatar
0

Therefore, I learned that English grammar rules could bean changed as the years go by.

This morning, I havefound another exception in the sentence, "I'm doing my degree in performing arts, aren't I?"

This type of questions is grammatically called 付加疑問文 (the tag questions) in Japanese.

Because, someone doesn't ask to another person or people about themselves.

About "Be-Verb"

Native English speakers might not think that "be-verb (am, are, was, were, been, be)" is a verb.

Native English speakers might not think that "to-be- verbs (am, are, was, were, been, be)" is aare verbs.

Since we're talking about all the to-be verbs, we would use the plural here.

Yet, Japanese people learn that English verbs arre roughly categorised into two verbs: "be-verb （be動詞）” and "other common verbs （一般動詞)" at their English grammar class.

Yet, Japanese people learn that English verbs arre roughly categoriszed into two verbs: "be-verb （be動詞）” and "other common verbs （一般動詞)" atin their English grammar class.

categorised -> categorized This wasn't a mistake, but I wanted to address it. "Categorised" is the British spelling. "Categorized" is the American spelling. Just in case you ever get confused by that. They can also be broken down into "regular" and "irregular." Regular verbs walk -> walked Irregular run -> ran English is complicated.

The first person singular be-verb should be "am" or "was."

But there is one exception: In "conditional type 2," I learned that you should use "were" instead of "was" fifty years ago: For example: "If I were a bird, I would fly to you now."

But there is one exception:
In "conditional type 2," I learned that you should use "were" instead of "was" fifty years ago: For example: "If I were a bird, I would fly to you now."

Even fifty years ago, this wasn't always the case. I like to read old books, and even books from the 1960's and 1970's rendered the subjunctive mood ("If I were a bird...") as "was" ("If I was a bird..."). I think the reason is that in our minds, when you're talking about a wish like that, you're thinking about what your life would have been like (past tense). That's just a theory though.

However, native Engilish speakers on LangCorrect tend to correct "were" to "was."

However, native Engilish speakers on LangCorrect tend to correct "were" to "was."

My advice: Talk like a native. Write like a professional. When you're having a conversation, don't worry about correct grammar. Focus on communication. Even native English speakers don't speak correct English 100% of the time. But, when you're writing, then you can focus on correct grammar, correct vocabulary, etc.

Therefore, I learn that English grammar rule could be changed as years go by.

Therefore, I learned that English grammar rules could bean changed as the years go by.

Therefore, I learn that English grammar rule could be changed as years go by.

The internet has sped this up considerably. I'm 40 years old and have lived in Japan for 14 years and I don't understand some American English.

This morning, I have another exception in the sentence, "I'm doing my degree in performing arts, aren't I?"

This morning, I havefound another exception in the sentence, "I'm doing my degree in performing arts, aren't I?"

I think the last part should be "amn't I?"

grammatically speaking.

"I" is the first person singular pronoun, which should accompanied by "am" in the simple present tense, not "are."

Yet, in this real world, native speakers use "aren't I?"

This type of questions is grammatically called 付加疑問文 (the tag questions) in Japanese.

This type of questions is grammatically called 付加疑問文 (the tag questions) in Japanese.

"The be-verb in the tag question for "I am ~~~," is "aren't I" although I don't think tag questions for the first person singular seems to be very rare.

Because, someone doesn't ask to other person or people about themselves.

Because, someone doesn't ask to another person or people about themselves.

They know about themselves more than anybody else.

Therefore, "I'm ～～～, arn't I?"

is used for a kind of rhetorical question.

Not a simple question.

Yet, "tag questions" are used for something rhetorical from the beginning.

Anyway, it's very interesting to know!

I didn't know this grammar rule for over 50 years!

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