一、概说

英语中的there be结构主要表示某处存在有某物，所以通常被称为存在句。其中的there为引导词，无词义，be为谓语动词，there be后面的名词为句子主语。

二、there be结构的谓语形式

1. 主谓一致问题

:若只有一个主语，谓语的数则取决于该主语的数；若有几个主语并列，则通常是与靠近的主语保持一致：

There is a man at the door. 门口有个人。

There are some girls in the room. 房间里有几个女孩。

There is a pen and some books on the desk. 桌上有一支钢笔和一些书。

2. 时态问题

there be结构的时态由其中的谓语动词be来体现，它可以有一般现在时、一般将来时、一般过去时、现在完成时以及过去完成时等多种时态形式：

There is going to be [will be] an English film tonight. 今晚将有一场英语电影。

There was a lot to be done. 有很多事要做。

There were some children swimming in the river. 有些小孩在河里游泳。

There have been many such accidents. 已发生了好几起那样的事故。

There had been two sea fights between them. 他们之间发生了两场海战。

3. 与情态动词连用

there be结构有时可以与情态动词连用：

There may be a storm tomorrow. 明天可能有风暴。

There used to be a hospital here. 原来这里有家医院。

He felt there must be something wrong. 他感到准有什么问题。

There might still be hope. 可能还有希望。

There ought to be a comma here. 这儿应有一个逗号。

4. 动词be换成其他动词

有时可将there be中的动词be 换为 live, remain, seem, appear, exist, stand, lie, come等：

Once upon a time there lived a man known by the name of Joe Beef. 从前有个人名叫乔·比夫。

There seems [appears] something the matter with her. 她好像是出了什么事似的。

There existed different opinions on this problem. 对这个问题曾有不同看法。

There remained just twenty-eight pounds. 只剩28英镑了。

At the top of the hill there stands an old temple. 在小山顶上有一座古庙。

5. 与其他动词搭配使用

there be结构有时可与其他动词搭配使用，构成一种复合谓语：

There seemed to be nobody about, so I went in. 附近似乎没有人，因此我就走了进去。

There happened to be a man walking by. 恰好有一个人从旁经过。

三、there be结构的非谓语形式

1. 基本结构

there be结构的非谓语形式有两种基本结构，即there being和there to be。

2. there being结构

该结构的主要用法有：

(1) 用作状语：

There being nothing else to do, we went home. 由于没什么其他的事要干，所以我们就回家了。

There having been no rain, the ground was dry. 由于没有下雨，所以地面很干。

【注】有时可与状语从句转换：

There being no further business (=As there was no further business), I declared the meetingclosed. 由于没有别的事了，我宣布闭会。

(2) 用作介词宾语：

There is now some hope of there being a settlement of the dispute. 现在有点希望可以解决这次争端。

2. There to be 结构

该结构的主要用法有：

(1) 用作动词宾语：该结构可用作某些动词(如like, prefer, hate, want, mean, intend, expect, consider 等)的宾语：

I don’t want there to be any misunderstanding. 我可不希望有任何误解。

Students hate there to be too much homework. 学生讨厌做太多的家庭作业。

We expect there to be more discussion about this. 我们期望能对此展开更多的讨论。

【注】在let there be结构中，动词be不带to：

Don’t let there be any noise. 不允许有任何吵闹。

Let there be no mistake about it. 这事不要出错。

(2) 用作介词for的宾语：

They asked for there to be another meeting. 他们要求再开一次会议。

【注】用作介词宾语一般用there being，但用作介词for的宾语时，只能用there to be。比较：

They planned on there being another meeting. 他们打算再开一次会议。

They planned for there to be another meeting. 他们打算再开一次会议。